Words That Will Last Forever
by Ari's Freckles
Summary: When Bella meets a famous British writer, she tells him the story of the life she had and lost with Edward Cullen in an effort to make their love last eternally on the pages of his next best-selling novel. This is their story, but is it their ending? AH.
1. Chapter 1

September

I dropped the last item on my bookshelf, a tattered copy of Wuthering Heights, into the small bankers box on my desk and bit the inside of my cheek. Outside, the clouds knotted together, threatening a downpour. It didn't take very long to clean out my office – I threw almost all of my possessions away anyway. Everything else fit in a few boxes, and there was no use in prolonging my departure. I heaved the box from my desk into my arms and struggled to pull open the door, nearly collapsing.

Upon entering the hallway, I met the watery eyes of Angela, who had been my assistant and close friend.

"You'll call, right?" she asked.

"Of course," I mumbled, offering a small smile. "We'll do coffee."

The other employees stared as I moved past them. I tried to ignore the burning I felt along the back of my neck and I had nearly made it to the front door when I heard my name called.

"Bella?"

I knew who it was, the one person in the office I'd been avoiding. I hated goodbyes, especially now. I turned and leaned against the doorframe to Irena's office.

"You can come in, you know," she said, sighing. Setting my box on the ground, I shuffled over to the seat across from her desk and sat down. After an awkward silence, she cleared her throat and ran her fingers through her wavy black hair.

"I may just be wasting my breath, but I'm going to ask you to reconsider anyway."

My eyes flashed. She knew why I was leaving.

"No, Irena," I said dryly. "I need…I need some time. I'm not productive at all and me being here isn't doing any good."

"I don't care about your productivity Bella, you know that," she argued. "I care about _you_. And this company would not be the same without you, even if you aren't powering through manuscripts like a robot and man handling our pushy clients."

"I need to go," I muttered, pathetically. Meanwhile, an angry voice in the back of my mind was screaming at me to not lose control. She looked at me, clearly disappointed.

"I understand. But if you change your mind, I want you to have this," she said, sliding a sliver key toward me. "You are always welcome to come back at any time."

"Irena…" I started. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Isabella, take the key. At least so I can have peace of mind in knowing that I've done everything I can to keep you from throwing your life away over what's happened."

That stung, and I flinched. I slipped the key into my pocket and shifted in the chair, gnawing on my cheek again. I stood slowly and reached out to shake her hand. Irena shook her head at me and walked around to me, pulling me from my seat and into her arms.

"You know I'm always here for you," she said into my hair. "Please don't shut me out." I wrapped my arms around her torso and squeezed lightly.

"Kay," I whispered. "Bye."

When I finally made it to the front door, I felt like I was leaving a large part of myself behind. It didn't really matter; I was leaving behind a part of my life that I wanted to forget. I didn't want to think about the way things were because I knew it would never be the same. My memories haunted me and would only make moving forward impossible.

I punched the button on the elevator, waiting for the doors to close. Thankfully I was alone inside, but the disadvantage of working on the 6th floor of a business building is the fact that there's never a one way trip down to the lobby. The car shuddered to a stop on the 4th floor and an elderly man walked in, struggling to lean against his cane. He smiled at me, his deep blue eyes gleaming.

"Good morning," he squeaked, his voice thick with an English accent.

"Hi," I said, quietly, looking down at the ground. The doors closed and the car began to move again, stopping on what I thought was the 3rd floor. But the doors never opened. Instead, the elevator groaned and quivered. As the idea of us being stuck crossed my mind, my pulse quickened. I jabbed the 'door open' button and waited for the machine to respond. Nothing.

"I do believe the car's stuck," the old man announced.

"Great," I sighed, and pulled open the phone box. I picked up the receiver and waited for someone to answer on the other end. After several rings, an agitated woman answered.

"Um, hi, we're sort of stuck in the elevator," I said lamely. I heard the woman snap her gum and practically hiss at me.

"I know that, ma'am. Every elevator on the floor just shut down. We have technicians on their way."

"Well, how long do you think it'll be until they fix it?" I asked, desperate for some fresh air.

"I don't know, I'm not a rocket scientist. When the elevator's fixed, you'll feel it moving." And she hung up on me. I set the receiver back down slowly and sat down on the ground and slumped against the wall.

"All of the elevators shut down," I told the man, not wanted to be rude.

"Ah," he said, still sounding cheery. It bothered me. The stagnant air in the elevator must have been getting to me. He set his cane against the wall and sat down across from me. "Weather's lovely, isn't it?" he joked. I raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't from here, are you?" I asked, stating the obvious.

"No," he laughed. "I'm afraid I'm not."

"London?" I guessed.

"Cambridge," he corrected. "I've just moved here.

I didn't feel much like responding to him after that. I'd never been one for awkward elevator conversations between strangers. But that was just me.

"Do you work in the building?" he asked, peering at me with those odd eyes again.

"Yes," I answered automatically. "Well, I used to," I added, mentally kicking myself. His exuberance morphed into confusion.

"For what company, may I ask?"

I eyed him wearily. "Well, we're stuck in here together, it only makes sense if we talk," he explained.

"I worked on the sixth floor," I answered, hoping it was vague enough for him to get the hint that I didn't want to talk.

"You work for Bennett and Hastings?" he asked, excitedly.

"Used to," I corrected. "But, yes, I did."

"As an editor, may I presume?" he asked. For an old man, he greatly resembled an energizer bunny.

"Yes, as an editor. I quit two weeks ago, today was my last day."

"Well, it's only a matter of minutes before young girls very much like yourself start filing through that front door like it's an amusement park! It's very rare that a position opens up here, let alone for an editor. Might I ask why?"

"Um…" I started, attempting to formulate an answer. One wasn't coming fast enough, so I ran my fingers though my hair nervously, hoping that would get the wheels turning. "It was just time for me to move on." _Or try to._

"Oh," he said simply. "Well, judging by your age, I'm assuming you must be very talented. Especially if you have the confidence that you can leave this place behind and still continue on with your life. I applaud you Miss…" he trailed off.

"Swan. Bella Swan," I said hastily.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Swan, my name is Peter McDoyle." He reached across the space between us and I grasped his warm, frail hand in mine.

"A pleasure," I agreed, partially telling the truth. This was just making my morning more difficult, but there was something calming about his presence. Before he could begin to interrogate me some more, the elevator jolted and began moving slowly.

"Thank god," I sighed, standing up and moving to help Peter to his feet. He shook slightly as he reached for his cane and righted himself when he was able to support his weight. I hoisted my box up while counting the seconds until the elevator doors would peel open and grant me freedom. They creaked open and I turned to Peter, offering him a smile of relief.

"Goodbye Miss Swan, I hope you have a wonderful afternoon," he said.

"You too," I replied, walking out quickly and hurrying to my car. As soon as I was safe in the confines of the small sedan, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and felt my face prickle slightly as my eyes began to water.

"Pull yourself together," I grumbled at myself. I cranked the car into drive and sped toward my home, nearly disregarding the rules of the road. I had planned on spending the rest of my free time as a lump on my couch—nothing else seemed worth the effort. I jiggled the key in the lock and swung the door open, dropping the banker's box on the floor. I walked past the stacks of unopened mail on the coffee table in the living room and into the kitchen, opening the fridge, pulling out a cold water bottle. There wasn't really any food in the house.

Once I'd kicked off my shoes and pulled down my hair, I slipped on pair of sweats and shrugged into my tattered bathrobe. I could feel a hole growing in my chest as I plunked down on the sofa. It was pathetic, my couch even smelled like him. I rolled onto my side and stared at the TV. After deciding not to turn it on, I counted the notches in the wooden floor until my eyelids grew heavy.

It never went away. Even while I was sleeping. _He_ was everywhere. The most I could make myself do for the next three days was shower and occasionally eat some crackers. I forced myself to drink water—I didn't want Charlie to be alarmed if I just so happened to die of dehydration, even though the idea sounded faintly appealing.

The phone rang several times. I ignored it and sometimes growled at the unanswered receiver if I could be bothered to utilize my vocal cords. Eventually, I grew irritated with the rings echoing off the walls.

"Hello?" I mumbled into the receiver.

"Hello," a friendly, vaguely familiar voice responded. "May I speak with Miss. Swan?"

"Who's calling?" I asked suspiciously.

"This is Peter McDoyle," he said, politely. I remembered meeting him in the elevator and my eyebrows pulled together. _How did he get my number?_

"This is Bella," I clipped.

"Miss Swan!" he said, excitedly. "I don't know if you recall, but we met in the elevator last Friday."

"I recall."

"Erm, yes—"

"How did you get my number?" I asked, interrupting him.

"I asked the editor in chief," he said. "It took some finagling, but I got it out of her. I'm calling because I have a favor to ask of you."

"Favor?" I asked, growing tired. "You hardly know me, Mr. McDoyle, what could I possibly do for you?"

"Well, I was hoping I could get a story from you." The statement hung for a few moments.

"I'm not a reporter," I replied.

"Yes, I'm aware. But perhaps you can help me in preparing my next novel," he said, still sounding pleasant.

"I'm sorry, did you say your last novel?" I suddenly remembered where I'd heard his name from. "Peter McDoyle…" I breathed. "You wrote—"

"I've written very many, yes. But I would like it very much if you were to assist me. I'm finding this project to be a bit of a challenge."

Mentally, I was spluttering. This had to have been the most illogical conversation I'd had in my entire life.

"Why me?" I managed to get that one question out.

"I know this is a rather strange conversation, but, Miss Swan, I spoke with Irena. She had only the most wonderful things to say about your talents as a writer, and I would be honored if you would work with me."

"B-but what drove you to talk to her in the first place?" I stammered.

"To put it simply, Bella," he started. "I saw something in your eyes when you spoke to me. I was curious."

_What have you got to lose?_ I didn't have a job, or much of house to come home to anymore. I'd shut all of my friends and family out. Why not?

"I guess," I answered slowly. "What exactly am I going to help you with?"

"All I need from you is a story."

"A story?" I asked, confused again.

"Yes," he said. "Perhaps I could explain this to you better in person? Would you feel comfortable with meeting at my home?" he asked.

"I suppose…"

"Perfect," he said, chipper as usual, and then he spewed out his cross streets and house number. "Would you like to meet this afternoon? Say…in an hour or two?"

"Two hours is fine," I said, a little breathless.

"Wonderful!" he said, and hung up. I ran my fingers through my hair, almost immediately getting them stuck in a rat's nest. I was still in my pajamas and I was sure I smelled. After showering and ripping through my hair with a comb, I took a moments to change my clothes and then dragged myself over to my small, nearly worthless vehicle.

It wasn't difficult to find Peter's home. At first, I thought I might have been in the wrong place, but I was immediately corrected when a staggeringly large, mansion-sized building came into view. It was hidden nicely in a small patch of woods, and it took some maneuvering to drive up the path to his courtyard.

I clutched my jacket around myself self-consciously as I stepped carefully up the front steps leading to the entrance. Cold wind whipped past my face and I grasped the large brass knocker and drove it into the large wooden door. An echoic thud vibrated against the frame and stung my wrist. Almost immediately I heard locks being turned on the other side. The door swung open to reveal a small, rounded woman with warm features. Her graying blond curls were tucked into a neat bun, framing her hazel eyes.

"Hello, Dear," she greeted. "How can I help you?"

"My name is Bella, I'm here to meet with Mr. McDoyle," I said, nervously.

"Ah! Miss Swan! I was hoping it would be you, but Peter's had so many visitors lately, I didn't want to make any assumptions."

"Oh, right," I commented, awkwardly.

"Well, please, do come in. And for next time, there is a doorbell." She pointed to a small button next to the doorframe. Now I felt stupid. I followed her into a large den and felt my eyes widen as we passed through the staggering foyer. The inside of this home was stunning, and the décor struck of chord of familiarity. The wide, open entrance hall centered around an extravagant chandelier that caught light from the large windows, cascading vibrant color schemes across the floor tiles.

"Peter, Miss Swan has just arrived!" The woman called.

"I'll only be a moment!" Peter replied, while I sat down at a mahogany table, not sure what else to do. The woman introduced herself as Jane, and moments later Peter hobbled into the room.

"Good afternoon, Bella," Peter greeted, still too energetic for his apparent age. I smiled, more-so at the odd pronunciation of my name. He sat down heavily in the chair across from me and folded his hands neatly. "So, to continue our conversation, I am in a need of your assistance."

"Mr. McDoyle," I started.

"Call me Peter, please."

"Peter," I continued, "I don't know how I could possibly help you…I have no background in journalism, and I'm not a storyteller. I don't think I really have anything to tell you."

"Bella, I need your help writing a love story." My breath hitched in my throat.

"You're a brilliant writer, Peter. There's no way I could help you come up with the next great love saga," I stuttered.

"No, no, I think you're misunderstanding. I don't need your help in writing the story; I want to know your story. To capture it. " He looked at me kindly, and I felt something odd bubble in my chest.

"My story?" I asked, weakly. "W-what would make you think I have a story? I don't have one."

"I believe you do, Miss Swan. I saw it in your eyes in the elevator, and I can see it in them now."

I looked down at the tabletop and blinked slowly. I couldn't tell him my story. Edward and I no longer existed together, what we had would never be again. At that moment, an odd, almost crazy idea struck me. Peter wanted to turn my life into a novel. If there was one thing I'd learned in all my years of experience, it was that words last forever. And this way, Edward and I would forever exist together on the pages of his next masterpiece.

I looked up and drew in a shaky breath.

"Alright," I started. "I'll help you."

* * *

><p>Hi Everyone! I've been rolling this story idea in my mind for a while now, so I've decided to give it a shot. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions. I hope you like it! The plot will definitely be a little different after this - it'll switch back and forth between the past and present. Don't worry, it wont be confusing.<p>

Many thanks to my fantastic beta :)


	2. Chapter 2

BPOV

This was one of those times when I couldn't tell if I was making a good decision or a mistake. While there was an increasingly large, painful knot forming in my stomach, I felt this selfish and greedy monster reviving itself in my heart.

"Now, I suppose we should discuss some of the requirements for this project," I distantly heard Peter start. "Miss Swan?"

"Hmm?" I mumbled. I couldn't believe I had agreed to do this.

"For the job," he said, again. "There will be some conditions that I am going to ask of you."

"Oh, of course, what are they?" I asked, twisting my hair nervously around my fingers.

"Well, I hope you will be staying here for the duration of this project. We've plenty of spare bedrooms, so I encourage you to choose one and make yourself at home."

"You want me to move in?" I asked, incredulous.

"Yes, I do. Only for the amount of time it takes to produce a final manuscript."

I knew that could take months, sometimes years. I didn't respond, and he continued to speak.

"Now, I realize you've quit your job at Bennett and Hastings, so I'm assuming you will need some source of income for the duration of your stay. I am willing to pay you $50,000 upfront, and we can discuss royalties when this work is presented to the publishers."

"Uh—" I started, completely overwhelmed.

"Is that too little? I'm perfectly willing to negotiate."

"No, no," I said quickly. "That's very generous of you, really. This is all just a lot to take in."

"I must agree, even I am a little shocked." She fanned her face and chuckled. "But, my dear, I would greatly enjoy some extra company. This house is so large, and much too quiet."

"Right...can I step outside for just few minutes? I need to breathe." I slid back my chair from the table and excused myself from the room, hurrying towards the foyer. My heart pounded uncomfortably against my ribcage.

After pulling open the heavy front door, I sat down on the top step and focused on (my) breathing. I'd refused to even say his name out loud in _months, _so how could I bring myself to tell a total stranger everything that happened? I could hardly bring myself to comprehend it all, but I was desperate. I couldn't let him go.

"I must be going crazy," I grumbled to myself, raking my fingers through the loose strands of hair that had fallen in my face. My knees shook slightly as I stood to return to the meeting. Squaring my shoulders, I grasped the door handle and walked back into the house, reentering the den and sitting back down.

"Would it be too much to ask you to sign a contract?" Peter asked, almost immediately

"Peter, for God's sake, give the girl a moment to think!" Jane reprimanded him and made an odd gesture with her hands out of irritation.

I shook my head, not sure of what else to say. "I've already put one together," he said, while pushing a paper across the table.

"Wait…should I have a lawyer present?" I asked, suddenly thinking rationally.

"I hardly think that's necessary, but if you feel it to be appropriate to have some legal advisement, I'm sure we can arrange for it," he said, shrugging. His hair was beginning to droop into his eyes and he suddenly looked very tired.

"I guess I could just read over it myself," I surrendered, reaching for the contract. There wasn't anything complicated about the terms involved; nothing was boggled with legal terms. The only items the contract included were exactly what Peter had already mentioned.

"Do you have something I can write with?" I asked, still searching for any hidden clauses. Peter fumbled around for a moment until Jane handed me a black fountain pen.

"He's never organized," she sighed.

My hand shook slightly as I signed my name at the bottom of the paper, but the "Isabella Swan" was legible enough. Sliding the paper back, I placed my hands in my lap and waited for something to happen next.

"Excellent!" Peter exclaimed. "When do you expect you'll be able to move your belongings over? Do you need any assistance?"

"Oh, I hadn't really thought of that," I answered, honestly. "I think I can get everything in one trip."

"Shall we expect to see you for dinner? Or would you prefer to finalize everything tomorrow morning?" He looked at me expectantly. He was incredibly persistent, in a way that was almost endearing.

"Well, it is getting late," I admitted. "Tomorrow morning might be better for the both of us."

He nodded in understanding and reached for his cane. "Well, until tomorrow morning then, Bella. I'm sure it will be a pleasure working with you." Peter smiled widely and hobbled out of the room. Jane did a poor job of masking her excitement.

"Finally! Another woman in the house!" she said, happily. She led me to the door and I hurried into my car just before fat raindrops splattered against my face. It wouldn't take very long for me to pack my things. All I really needed to bring with me was clothes and my hygienic necessities.

I lugged a large suitcase from the garage up to my bedroom and laid it out in the middle of the floor. My method of packing essentially involved me turning my dresser drawers inside out and dumping the contents. After a few drawers, I decided it would be a little more ethical to fold the articles of clothing.

After, I grabbed a smaller toiletry bag and stuffed it with my toothbrush and hair products. I thought about maybe calling Charlie to let him know where I'd be staying and such, but decided against it. If I called him, he'd invariably find out that I'd quit my job. The last thing I wanted was another lecture from him about how I can't let a "stupid break-up" ruin my entire life.

Outside, the wind howled and the tree in my front yard swayed dangerously close to one of the windows in my bedroom. I pulled the curtains shut and settled in my bed. Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well that night. Between the storm outside and anxiety that had built up in my nerves, I tossed and turned all night.

Moving in to Peter's house was painfully awkward. While they expected me to make myself at home, I had extreme difficulty doing so. When I arrived that morning, my suitcase shoved into the trunk of my car, Jane invited me in excitedly and showed me to the second floor. She encouraged me to choose my own room to stay in, as there were at least five empty bedrooms.

"Can I get you some breakfast?" she asked, after I'd settled. It had taken a lot of effort to get my suitcase up the stairs. I'd chosen what I thought was the smallest room, and it still felt too big.

"Oh, I don't usually eat breakfast," I confessed. She pulled her eyebrows together and looked at me in shock.

"Don't eat breakfast! Nonsense. Come with me, dear," she commanded. "No wonder you're so thin."

I looked down at my legs, self conscious, as she led me back downstairs to a giant kitchen. "How do you like your tea?" she asked, while ushering me sit down at bar by the countertop.

"With cream and sugar, I guess," I said, not really sure. I wasn't a tea drinker, but that was how I usually took my coffee. I watched as she bustled around for a few moments and then produced a plate bearing a delicate looking crumpet with some sort of jam on it. These people really were British. Thankfully, she had prepared herself a cup of tea as well, so I wasn't eating alone and feeling completely out of place.

"Good morning, Bella!" came a voice from down the hall. Peter followed the sound seconds later, looking as happy as he usually did. "I hope you've made yourself comfortable here."

"Mhm," I replied, my mouth full of crumpet. He was carrying a manila folder under one arm and a small device in his hand.

"Shall we begin, then?" he asked.

"Peter, for crying out loud, let the girl eat!" Jane cried.

"Pish posh," Peter retorted. "Perhaps we could spend some time talking in the garden? The sun is shining for once."

"That sounds fine," I said, pushing my plate back. I was still taken off guard by Jane's persistence. Nerves fluttered throughout my body and the full force of my decision was dawning on me. Was I really ready to tell a complete stranger the story of my life?

Peter's "garden" consisted more of a large field and a courtyard. Apparently the flowers would arrive sometime in the spring. Until then, the yard would be almost bare. I soon learned that the small device in Peter's hand was a tape recorder.

"Now, start from the beginning," he instructed, sitting back in a plush lawn chair. I was sitting across from him, feeling the warmth of the sun. "Where did you meet him?"

"His parents hired me," I answered, already feeling nostalgic.

"I suppose it would help to know what his name is," Peter mumbled, offhand.

"E-Edward," I managed to get out. As soon as I said his name, the memories began to flood into back into me, like a dam had broken.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hello?" I asked into the receiver, having just walked out of a noisy coffee shop. <em>

"_Hey Bells!" I heard Charlie say on the other end. I smiled, realizing that he actually sounded happy for once. _

"_Hey, Dad, how are you?" Even though I'd moved out a long time ago, Charlie and I had managed to stay close. After all, he was all I had. _

"_Oh, nothing out of the norm," he started. "Just lounging around at the station—it's been a slow day." _

"_Ah, no armed robberies today?" I joked. _

"_No, not today," he sighed. "I actually had a favor to ask __(of) __you."_

"_Ask away. What is it?" I was expecting him to ask me to make the drive to his house and make him dinner. _

"_Do you remember the Cullens?" he asked. I searched my memory, trying to come up with something. "Carlisle and Esme?" The names helped clear up a few things muddled memories._

"_Oh, yeah. The doctor, right?" _

"_Yeah, him," Charlie said. "Well, Carlisle's nephew has been struggling in school, and his parents don't know how to help him. So I was hoping maybe you could give them a hand?" I heard the unfailing hopeful glint in his voice. _

"_You want me to tutor their son?" I asked in disbelief. There was no way. _

"_Yeah, I think you'd be great with him. You'd really be helping them out, Bella. I already talking with Edward's parents about it and they're really thankful—"_

"_You already talked to them?" I shrieked. "As in, you told them I'd do it!" _

"_Now, calm down Bella," Charlie started. _

"_Charlie, how old is he? Elementary school? Seventh grade? I don't even know what he's struggling with, and I suck at math, so I'm no good there. And where does he even live?" I snapped. _

"_Well, he's struggling with everything, actually. And he's a junior in high school. They live in Seattle, really close to you." _

_My stomach jolted at the word 'high school'. There was no way I could sit down with a boy in high school and manage to educate him. No way._

"_He's in high school?" I asked, weakly. _

"_Now, Bella, high school was years ago," he started. "You need to let the past go. He's enrolled at Franklin High." _

"_I can't believe you," I hissed. "You didn't even ask me first! I don't have time for this!" _

"_Please, Bells. Do it for me? Carlisle's really worried about him, and I've heard Edward's going through some tough things right now, but he's a good kid at heart. I gave his parents your number, so they should be calling you soon." _

"_You're unbelievable," I griped. "I have to go." I hung up after a quick goodbye and contemplated changing my phone number. There AT&T store was only a few blocks away…_

_Before I could finish my thought, my phone buzzed in my hand. I almost dropped my cup of coffee, thinking it would be one of the struggling boy's parents. But when I looked down at the caller ID, I saw that it was just Harry calling me from the office. I sighed and answered, finding out that I needed to rush back to work, despite that fact that I'd already left for the day. _

_By the time I finally got home, I'd checked my phone at least 1,000 times. It finally rang, registering an unknown number when I was flopped on the couch, eating Chinese takeout from a box. I gulped down the food in my mouth, almost choking__(,)__ and brought the receiver to my ear. _

"_Hello?" I asked, willing my voice not to shake. I couldn't understand why I was so nervous. It was just a phone call, after all. _

"_Is this Bella?" A woman asked. _

"_Yes, this is, may I ask who's calling?" _

"_This is Elizabeth Cullen," the woman said. "I spoke with your father today about you tutoring my son, Edward."_

"_Oh, right. Hi," I said, playing innocent. _

"_Now, Charlie already said you'd be interested in helping us, but I just wanted to make sure you're really okay with this," she said. There was something in her voice, perhaps a hint of desperation, that made me feel as if I had no choice but to do so. _

"_Of course, I'd love to help," I said, shocking myself. _

"_Oh, that's wonderful," Elizabeth said, laughing slightly. "Charlie said you graduated high school a while ago…may I ask how old you are?" I hesitated, not sure how my age was relevant. "I just want to know so I can gauge the age difference between you and Edward. It might be easier for him to connect with you and actually listen if you're closer to his age."_

"_I'm 20," I answered. "My birthday is in a few days, though." _

"_Oh, that's lovely!" she sighed. "Edward can be a bit…defiant to elders sometimes. He might actually behave himself with someone around his age." _

"_What does he need help with?" I asked, trying to move the conversation forward. _

"_He's failing almost all of his classes. It never used to be like this, but lately Edward has been failing his tests and shrugging off his assignments. I don't think he realizes that his entire future is at stake right now. Are you currently in college?" she asked. _

"_Er, no," I confessed. "I graduated last year." _

"_Wow, at so young? Where did you go? What did you major in?"_

"_I went to Northwestern, and I majored in English." _

"_Oh, that'll be perfect!" she practically cheered. "Edward used to write beautifully…when do you think you'll be able to start tutoring him?" _

"_Well, I'm available tomorrow," I said. "I can see him after work, around 4:30." _

_Elizabeth gave me their home address and her contact information, thanking me a few extra times before finally hanging up. _

_I dressed casually the next morning, pairing jeans and a dark blue cardigan. Even though it was a Thursday, I was hardly ever required to dress professionally for work. It was a television studio, not a law firm. The day passed quickly, and I soon found myself getting lost on the way to meet Edward and his parents. _

_By the time I'd found the correct address, my jaw dropped. The Cullen's resided in a castle-like home, made almost completely out of carved stones and large glass windows. My hand shook as I reached to ring the doorbell. A few moments later, I heard a lock untwist on the other end of the door, and it swung open to reveal a beautiful woman with black curly hair and startling green eyes. _

"_You must be Bella," she greeted, holding her hand out. I grasped it and nodded. _

"_Hi, you must be Elizabeth." _

_She smiled, flashing brilliantly perfect teeth."Please come in," she gestured, swinging the door open wider. I stepped forward, and my eyes immediately landed on a large chandelier hanging in the entryway. _

"_Your home is beautiful," I breathed. She chuckled and closed the door behind me. _

"_Thank you. My husband isn't home right now, but Edward should be upstairs." She called up the stairs to him, asking him to grace us with his presence. I clutched my purse nervously, and nearly stopped breathing when the most beautiful boy I'd ever laid eyes on began to descend the stairs. _

"_Edward, darling, this is Bella." His eyes flicked over to me, and I instantly felt a knot form in my stomach. Burrowing in those jade-colored eyes of his was a kind of burning hatred I'd never known could exist. I bit my lip and looked down. _

"_Hello," he said, curtly. _

"_Hi," I mumbled, blushing furiously. _

"_Bella's going to be tutoring you," Elizabeth said, kindly. _

"_Fantastic," he snapped. My__ eyes were transfixed on his odd, bronze colored hair. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't look away from his face. When his eyes met mine again, I__winced and looked down, still blushing. This was going to be worse than high school. _

* * *

><p><strong>Hi everyone :) Sorry the update took me a little longer than I expected - I've got some HUGE testing going on at school and it's taken up a lot of my time lately just trying to get prepared for the exams. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Another one should be coming out soon. <strong>_  
><em>


	3. Chapter 3

_Edward turned his back towards me and walked in the opposite direction, leaving the room. Elizabeth sighed and ran her fingers through her curls. _

"_I'm sorry about that," she mumbled. "He must be having a bad day." _

"_It's no problem," I replied quickly. In actuality, I wanted to run out the front door and hide in my car. _

"_I'll just go get him. Please, make yourself at home," she said, gesturing toward the stairs. "There's a spare office upstairs that you can use. It's the third door to the left." _

_After she hurried off to find Edward, I cautiously ascended the stairs, constantly looking over my shoulder. I felt completely out of place, afraid to even put my hand on the banister because my fingerprints could defile the beautifully polished surface. _

_I counted the doors in the hall until my eyes landed on the third one, which was ajar. After checking, once again, to make sure no one was around, I tentatively pushed the door open. Inside the room was a large table and assorted book cases. It looked like a miniature library. An intimidating, miniature library that was framed with magnificent glass windows that panned the entire back wall. I stood there, awkwardly, until a voice startled me. _

"_Are you just going to stand there?" _

_I jumped and turned around to find Edward, leaning against the wall behind me. _

"_Oh," I breathed. "Um, no…." _

_He raised an eyebrow, still looking utterly disgusted with me. I moved forward, mechanically, and somehow made it over to the table without stumbling. _

_"What should we work on today?" I asked, still fumbling for the right words. _

"_You're the educator, why are you asking me?" He still hadn't moved. _

"_Right. Well, do you have any homework? Any missing assignments?" His eyes narrowed slightly, and he walked further down the hall, his steps lightly padding on the wooden floor. I peeked around the corner and watched him disappear into a room a few doors down, returning seconds later with a black binder in his hands. _

_I hurried back over to the table, and nervously pulled at my hair. This boy was getting to me. He was rude, and hostile for no apparent reason. He silently entered the room and pulled out a chair across from me at the table. He pushed the binder toward me like it was on fire. _

"_Take your pick," he retorted, rolling his eyes. I grit my teeth and flipped open the front cover. Inside was what appeared to be a long list. When I looked closer at it, I realized it was a list of assignments that Edward had never turned in. A very long list. _

"_Do you have any of these assignments with you?" I asked, still nervous. I was afraid to look at him. _

"_Why don't you try looking through the tabs?" he sneered. "I'm sure you'll be able to find one or two." _

_With shaking hands, I flipped through the section marked "Biology" and looked for any blank sheets of paper, finding several of the listed assignments. _

"_Wow," I commented. "Why haven't you done any of these assignments? They seem pretty simple."_

"_Guess I just haven't found the time." He crossed his arms over his chest and was staring past me. _

"_Okay…well, you have that time now, so why don't we start with this one? It's pretty basic, just the phases of mitosis." _

_His gaze met mine. He clearly didn't care. _

"_Prophase, metaphase, ana—" I started. _

"_I know what the phases are," he snapped. "I'm not an idiot." That was when I'd had enough. I slid back my chair from the table and closed the binder. Clenching my fists, I stood and tried to keep it together long enough to give him a piece of my mind. I was too old to be bullied by a junior in high school. _

"_Look, Edward, I didn't even want to do this in the first place, but I thought maybe I could help you. To be perfectly honest, I don't know anyone in their right mind who would sit through five minutes of your selfish, arrogant attitude. I'm just wasting my time with you, and quite frankly I'm done. Have a great day and good luck failing." I paused for a moment just to watch his face. Something flashed in his eyes, but immediately, they returned to the original brooding emeralds. I turned on my heel and walked out of the room, still managing to keep it together. _

_By the time I'd made it to the front door, my hands were shaking. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, something I wasn't used to. I drove home as quickly as possible, cursing Charlie for getting me into this mess. _

_I resolved to order some Chinese food from a local restaurant and have it delivered to my apartment. Before I could change into my sweats and throw my hair up, I heard a distinctive buzzing coming from inside my purse. I wondered how many missed calls I had before actually digging through the bag. _

"_Hello?" I asked into the receiver, expecting it to be someone from work. _

"_Hi, Bella, it's Elizabeth." _

"_Hi," I sighed. I wasn't sure how I was going to tell her I planned on never seeing her son again. _

"_I'm so sorry, I tried to stop you before you drove off," she said, her voice breaking. "I truly thought Edward would control himself. He can be so condescending sometimes." _

"_Yeah…" I agreed, halfheartedly. Elizabeth paused for a moment, sniffling. _

"_Bella, you really are our only hope at this point. We tried tutoring through an institute, we've tried bribery, and we even tried homeschooling for a few months. Please, I know he's hard to deal with, but…I know he doesn't mean it. He used to be the sweetest boy, really." _

_And just like that, Elizabeth was pulling at my heartstrings, and I was agreeing to go back the next day. I hung up feeling like I'd been cheated. Edward's mother was a fantastic negotiator. I wondered what she did for a living—maybe she was a lawyer? _

_The food was delivered not long after that, still hot. I knew I still had several scripts to go through and edit, so I settled behind my desk with a box of kung pao chicken in one hand and a pen in the other. After completely marking up several pages, I made a note to call the writer and set the script aside. It was giving me a headache. _

_Hoping the next script for a pending episode would be more tolerable, I pulled another out and started reading through the first page. I was interrupted by a loud buzzing that caused me to jump and rip my pen across the page. Oops. _

_I fumbled for my phone and brought it up to my ear. _

"_This is Bella," I answered, completely in work mode. There was no response on the other end. _

"_Hello?" Still no response. The line clicked and the only answer I got was a dial tone. I didn't recognize the number that called me, but I knew enough to recognize a local area code. It was probably someone who'd received my number from Harry, my boss. He had a habit of tossing it around whenever situations got a little difficult. _

_It was almost impossible to focus after that. My concentration had completely shattered. So I gave up and decided to go to bed, already giving myself a pep-talk for tomorrow. I wouldn't run away next time; I'd simply bite him back. _

_It was raining the next morning. That was to be expected. I took some extra time getting ready for the day, blowing my hair straight with the dryer and plucking a few stray eyebrow hairs. At work, I made several necessary phone calls, and sat through boring meetings with optimistic writers, all who pitched the same idea with different characters. _

_At 4:25, I decided I should leave. I knew I'd be late, but I didn't want to seem eager to go back to Edward's house. I pulled up to the driveway ten minutes before the hour and rang the doorbell, prepared to apologize to Elizabeth. _

_To my surprise, and almost horror, Edward pulled open the door. My eyes met his and then scanned down to his built forearm that was resting on the door frame. An odd tightening in my chest snapped me out of my gaze. _

"_Hi," I said awkwardly, wrapping one arm around my stomach. He offered a small smile. _

"_Hi, Bella. Please, come in." Edward turned and I followed him, pulling the door shut behind me. I was surprised, again, to find that his work and textbooks were already set up in the den. _

"_You set everything up," I accused. _

"_My mother suggested I bring the textbooks," he clarified. I sat down and waited for something else to happen, braced myself for an insult. Instead, Edward sat down across from me and pulled out a piece of paper with what appeared to be some written equations on it. _

"_My teacher gave me these in class today," he said, stiffly. I looked at it and was instantly flooded with relief. The equations appeared variations of simple algebra. _

"_Have you tried any of them?" I asked, trying not to stare up at him as I talked, pretending to be interested in the piece of paper. _

"_No." _

"_Okay, well I guess we could start on these. Do you understand how to do the foil method?" I asked, digging up memories from one of my early math classes. _

"_Yes," he answered. I ignored his shortness and got up to sit next to him. As soon as I had settled, I realized that he'd scooted to the opposite edge of his chair, moving as far away from me as possible. _Just shake it off_, I reminded myself. _

"_Why don't you try the first one?" I asked. "I just want to see how far you get." _

_He quickly scribbled on the paper and handed it back to me and I was taken aback by how neat his equation was written out. He got the answer completely wrong. When I looked closely at his steps, I saw that he was following along until the last two steps, where his method changed abruptly. _

"_I don't know how you got from here to there," I said, trying to be nice. "But that's not the correct answer. Watch, I'll show you the steps." When I finished, I looked at him and was instantly cut by his piercing gaze. There had to have been something wrong with those eyes. They were almost painfully beautiful. _

"_Uh…does this make sense?" I asked, trying to gather my thoughts. _

"_Yes," he answered. _

"_Okay, try the next one," I ordered, in a small voice. He obeyed, miraculously, and got the answer right. We continued working on the problems until they were finished, only to move on to finish the assignment I'd tried to start with him yesterday. Apparently, he did know the phases of mitosis. I was in the middle of going over his answers when a short knock at the door interrupted me. _

_I looked up to see a tall man standing in the doorway. _

"_You must be Bella," he stated. _

"_I am, yes," I replied, sitting up straighter. _

"_I'm Edward's father, Edward. Senior." _

"_Nice to meet you," I said, extending my hand as he walked around the table. He grasped it and shook it firmly. _

"_Edward's not giving you too much trouble, is he?" Ed asked. I shook my head, taking in his business apparel. He was still wearing a tie and slacks. _

"_Oh, no. He's doing fine," I answered. _

"_Good." He turned to leave and glanced, almost menacingly, at Edward next to me. When he was gone, I felt a chill go down my spine. _

"_Whew," I breathed out. "That was weird." _

"_What was?" Edward asked. I froze, not realizing I'd said anything out loud. _

"…_Nevermind." I looked over at him, willing myself not to blush. He gave me a confused look and then his eyes flicked toward the paper in my hand. _

"_You got them all right," I said, handing it back to him. "I should probably get going, it's almost six." _

"_Right," he said, quickly sliding his chair back and standing. "My mother said I should give you my phone number in case you need to contact me." This was the first time I'd heard what seemed to be his normal voice, not laced with malice or hatred. Oddly enough, it was perfect, almost soothing. _

"_That's probably a good idea." I was suddenly nervous as he printed his phone number on a piece of scratch paper. I recognized it. Without thinking, I blurted out,_

"_Did you call me last night and hang up?" The minute I'd said it, my eyes widened in horror. He looked at me, his eyes darkening again. _

"_No, I didn't…" _

"_I'm sorry, I don't know why I asked that," I confessed. "Okay, I'll just be going." I quickly walked out of the room, trying not to embarrass myself any further. I was sure my face was brick red, and I was doing everything I could to hide it. _

_Later that night, at home, I pulled Edward's number out of my pocket to program it into my phone. Out of curiosity, I looked through my missed calls list. The numbers on the paper Edward gave me matched the last missed call I'd had exactly._

_He had called. Why did he lie? _

* * *

><p>"So when do you fall in love?" Jane asked, presenting me and Peter with a tray of small sandwiches. She bit into one and sat next to me. Peter clicked off the tape recorder and sighed, reaching for his own sandwich.<p>

"Love takes time, dear," he said, looking off at some into the trees.

"Hmmph. Well, I think it's quite darling anyway. He was so rude though, I don't understand."

"That was just Edward at the time," I said, sipping from a glass of water.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have fallen for him. And how much younger than you was he?"

I winced at her use of past tense.

"He's two and a half years younger than me," I admitted quietly.

"Oh, well I suppose that isn't terrible," she huffed. Peter chortled and finished the last bite of his sandwich.

"Helen was thirteen years younger than me."

"Good lord, you're right! I'd almost forgotten about her. Sassy little tart, if you ask me. She was only in it for the money." Jane fixed her hair and looked away, almost like she hadn't said anything.

"Who's Helen?" I finally asked.

"Oh, she's an ex-wife," Peter answered simply.

"He's had four," Jane threw in.

"Wow," I said. That was all I could manage. This man gotten around a lot.

"Yes, well, my marriage days are clearly over," he laughed. "Who'd want to marry an old bat like me?"

"Money grubbing young women, that's who!" Jane shouted. Peter took it as though she was joking and guffawed at her statement.

I, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice the sudden intensity in Jane's eyes as she was saying it.

* * *

><p>Hi there! So, the story's starting to pick up now :) Let me know if you have any questions, review please!<p>

Thanks to my fantastic beta, I love you dearly.


	4. Chapter 4

That night, I couldn't sleep. I felt out of place and mismatched in Peter's house. The room wasn't mine, I wasn't sleeping in my bed. I wasn't used to the sounds this mansion made at night. What I would have known to be a normal creak in my own home sounded like a burglar trying to break in to this foreign place. Eventually, I gave up on getting any rest. My mind wouldn't shut off, almost like my brain was in shock from everything I'd talked about today.

I threw the covers off and crawled out of the giant poster bed, breathing a sigh of relief as my feet hit the floor. Moving as quietly as possible, I tip-toed down the stairs and made my way toward the kitchen. None of the lights in the house were on; I was essentially fumbling around in the dark. As I neared the dining area, I noticed a faint glow coming from around the corner.

"Bella, dear, is that you?" A voice that I recognized as Jane's inquired.

"Erm, yeah," I said, stepping into view. Jane was sitting at a small table playing a game of what appeared to be solitaire by candlelight.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked, motioning toward the chair across from her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," I whispered, still not moving to sit next to her.

"Oh nonsense! I'd greatly appreciate your company. And please, don't worry about the noise. Peter is a very heavy sleeper."

I let out a small laugh and walked over to the chair next to her, sitting down. She reached up and flipped a switch, and the lights in the kitchen turned on. The sudden brightness almost blinded me. "Why the candle?" I asked.

"Well, I didn't want to turn all the lights on so I could sit alone and play cards\with myself. But now that you're here, it seems a bit ridiculous to squint in the dark." She pulled all the cards on the table back into the deck and began to shuffle them. I watched her aged hands flex as she bent the cards together and rearranged them. They seemed strong, but frail and delicate at the same time.

"So, how long have you known Peter?"

"Oh, goodness, for years. I met him right before I got married to Thomas. Thomas was very ill and out of work, I needed a job and Peter needed someone to keep him in line. I suppose you could say we've been a team ever since." She was still shuffling cards, but looked up at me and grinned.

"If you don't mind me asking, who's Thomas?"

"Thomas was my husband, but he passed away almost thirty years ago. He'd had brain cancer for a long while."

"Was he sick when you married him?" I asked, not bothering to hide my curiosity. I was too tired.

"Yes, he was very ill. We were married for a little over a year and then he passed. It was quite difficult at times, but we were happy, and that's all that mattered."

"Oh, Jane… I'm so—"

"No matter, dear. I've come to learn that it's all a part of life. I do miss him very much, though. I learned a lot from Thomas, and when I was alone, Peter took me in. My life wouldn't be the same without either of them. And dare I say, Peter would be a lot worse off without me here to keep him out of trouble." She laughed to herself and shook her head, laying the cards back out.

"Peter doesn't seem like he could get himself into very much trouble," I said, doubtful.

"Goodness, that man is dangerous when left to his own devices. Four marriages! And all of the women are at least half his age. Then he mopes around for ages, heartbroken, and manages to write his next bestselling novel. I suppose that's the only positive outcome to his….well, I don't know what you'd call it these days, but you can understand what I'm trying to say."

"I understand," I said.

"Thankfully, the ex's never got away with much. He's yet to realize that they've all been after his fortune. All except for one. Maria."

"Maria?" I asked, feeling like I was listening to an incredible soap opera.

"They were young, and I believe he met her in Spain while he was doing some traveling. They were married shortly after that, and I knew she really loved him. In fact, I didn't even mind having her around because they were happy together. It was infectious, almost."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well, she was the first truly serious relationship he'd had since I'd known him. This woman was relatively close to his age, only a few years difference. They must have been in their late twenties. A couple of months after they'd been married, Maria told us she was pregnant. I've never seen Peter so excited. Now, the thought of him being a father terrified me—he can hardly take care of himself, let alone a child. But needless to say, we were all ecstatic and prepared for the arrival of their child.

" I immediately set to baby proofing the house, and Maria and I were shopping almost nonstop as soon as we found out they'd be having a little girl. Not long before her due date, Maria was in an accident. She was hit by a drunk driver."

"Oh my god…did she…?"

"She was alright," Jane assured me. "They rushed her to the emergency room and discovered the baby was in distress. The doctors scheduled an emergency cesarean section, but it was too late." She broke off suddenly and took a deep breath. "Everything fell apart after that. We were all devastated, but Maria lost herself when she lost that child. It wasn't long before she and Peter decided they no longer belonged together, and she left."

"That's terrible," I breathed. She nodded and began shuffling the cards again.

"Peter refuses to talk about it. Last I heard, Maria remarried. I can't blame her, because I know she tried for Peter. But it wasn't enough."

I sat there, completely dumbfounded. There wasn't anything I could say.

"Well, I think I should be off to bed now," she said, setting the cards off to the side stretching her arms.

"Oh, right," I said, standing as well. "Thank you for talking with me."

"Oh, anytime dear. Goodnight." She disappeared around the corner and I listened to her walk up the stairs. I was suddenly struck by a memory of Edward I had once forced myself to forget. I remembered the odd mixture of anger and confusion in his eyes. How I was so sure everything between us was over. My stomach twisted into a painful knot. After a couple of minutes, I made my way back up the stairs and climbed back into bed. This time, I didn't have any trouble falling asleep.

In the morning when I saw Peter, I couldn't help but look at him in a different way. I suddenly saw so many complexities to him. Maybe I was imagining them, but I couldn't deny that there was so much more to him than I would have ever guessed.

"Good morning, Bella," Peter said cheerfully, spearing a piece of French toast onto a fork.

"Hi, Peter," I said, still feeling awkward in the kitchen. I didn't quite feel comfortable just grabbing myself some food and sitting around like I lived there.

"Here," Jane said, setting down a cup of tea on the table. "Would you like some French toast?"

"Sure," I said, a little overwhelmed. No one had ever really cooked for me before. At least, not consistently. As she set the plate down in front of me, Jane patted my head and went back to sipping her tea. She reminded me of the grandmother I never really had.

"So," Peter said, breaking the comfortable silence. "How about we get started?"

"Peter, she hasn't finished eating," Jane reminded him. I speared a chunk of the French toast and shoved it into my mouth. After last night, I felt much closer to her, and I didn't mind as much when she defended me. She was also a magnificent cook and I was thoroughly enjoying my breakfast.

"Fine," he grumbled, hobbling across the room and peering into the refrigerator.

"Watch your cholesterol, Peter. No more cheese this morning." Jane sighed, without even looking up. She knew him all too well. He closed the refrigerator and grumbled some more.

"I'll just be waiting in the garden, then."

Though, I took my time, I actually found myself getting anxious to talk about Edward. Talking about it felt almost as though I was reliving everything, and I wouldn't have minded reliving that chunk of my life. I sat across from Peter in the garden, just like I had the day before and waited for him to set up his recording devices.

* * *

><p><em>For the next week, I tutored Edward every day after school. We'd almost fallen into a routine, and he'd stopped with the stubborn arrogance, for the most part. On the next Tuesday morning, I got a phone call from Elizabeth. My phone buzzed on my desktop at work, distracting me enough to look up from the manuscript I was editing. <em>

"_Hello?" I asked, getting up to close my office door. _

"_Hi, Bella, it's Elizabeth." Though we'd had many phone conversations, she never failed to introduce herself. _

"_Hi, Elizabeth. How are you doing?" I asked, running my fingers through my hair. I was absolutely positive something had happened with Edward. That was usually the case. _

"_Well, I'm alright, but I'm calling to ask you a favor…" _

"_Of course, what can do I for you?" _

"_I feel terrible asking this of you, but I need someone to pick Edward up from school. I would do it myself, but I have a doctor's appointment and Edward left his car at home today." _

"_He left his car at home?" I asked, remembering the silver Volvo I'd seen in the driveway a few times. _

"_Yes…we ran into some problems yesterday. One of our neighbors is learning to drive and they backed into his car. He left it so a member from the dealership could tow it to the shop. I was able to drop him off this morning, but I can't reschedule my appointment." _

"_Sure, I'll pick him up," I said, instantly dreading it. I didn't want to go anywhere near a high school campus. "What time is he out at?" _

"_He gets out at 2:30. Really, Bella, thank you so much. I can't believe I even have to ask you to do this. I'm so sorry," she babbled. _

"_Oh, it's not a problem at all, Elizabeth. I'll pick him up at 2:30 and bring him home. I'll just spend some extra time working with him today." _

"_Okay, thank you so much," she gushed. After, I couldn't even focus on my current project. For some reason, I was extremely on edge, and caught between feeling anxious and excited. I would be picking Edward up from school…it shouldn't have been that big of a deal. But it was. _

_I tried for another hour to sort through the pile of scripts I had to deal with, but I didn't get anywhere. Defeated, I picked up my phone and decided to call Emmett. _

_Emmett had been my best friend since the first week of college, and since then he'd become more of a big brother to me than anything else. After college, he moved out of state for a while, and it was hard for me to adjust without him. Fortunately, he had just moved back and didn't live more than a half hour away. _

"_Bells!" Emmett practically shouted into the phone after the second ring. "How's my favorite klutz doing?" _

"_Hey, Em," I said, instantly feeling at ease. "Do you wanna meet for some coffee?" _

"_Sure, what time?" he asked. I could hear him rolling over in the background. _

"_How about now? Or are you still in bed?" _

"_Of course I'm still in bed," he chuckled. "But it'll take me two minutes to get dressed, so now is just fine. I'll meet you at The Brew down the street from your office, okay?" _

"_Sounds great," I conceded. Seeing Emmett always made me feel more like myself. I quickly organized the documents on my desk and checked my messages. The beauty of having my job was that I didn't really have a set schedule, as long as I met my deadlines and attended the important meetings. As I neared the coffee shop, I felt my nerves begin to unwind themselves. It was almost ridiculous how a simple visit from my best friend could make my entire day turn around. _

_Emmett showed up ten minutes after I'd arrived and ordered our drinks. I instantly felt like I was three years younger and living in a dorm room. We talked mostly about Emmett's job hunt and the last girl he'd tried dating._

"_Enough about me. How's life going for you? How's work?" Emmett asked, gulping his cappuccino. _

"_Work is work, I guess. Harry's been throwing scripts at me like crazy, and making me sub in for him at meetings. I think he's getting ready to retire. He hasn't told me yet, but I can see it coming." Emmett nodded and motioned for me to keep going. _

"_I also just started tutoring this guy. Charlie volunteered me to his parents, so I didn't have much of a choice. I'm actually picking him up from school today." _

"_What grade is he in?" Emmett asked, giving me an odd look. _

"_He's a junior in high school…" I said, slowly. Emmett sighed and reached for my hands across the table. _

"_Bella, please be careful," he said. "It's really easy to get sucked back into high school."_

"_I know that," I said, getting defensive. "Relax, I'm just tutoring him. And he's a jerk anyway." _

"_Should I kick his ass for you?" he asked, grinning. Typical. _

_I felt remotely calm until I was about 100 feet from the parking lot at Franklin High School. Maybe it had something to do with the massive amount of cars spilling out of the lot, or the stampede of students I saw, but my heart rate quickly doubled. I pulled into the long line of cars and tried to focus on my surroundings while blocking the floodgate of horrible memories I had of my high school. The line of cars for parent pick-up was bumper to bumper, so I sat there until I'd reached the very front of the line, only to find no Edward waiting by the curb. _

_After a few moments of searching, the car behind me honked, so I drove forward and set out to find a parking spot. When I finally found one, I dug through my purse for my cell phone and tried to call him. It automatically went straight to voicemail, meaning that he was either ignoring me or his phone was off. I realized I had no other choice than to go out and look for him. I couldn't very well sit in the parking lot all day. _

_With shaking hands, I opened the car door and stepped onto the asphalt. A lot of the crowd had cleared by now, so I wasn't as petrified. I decided it would be best to look for the main office and attempt to locate him from there. The only problem was that I had no idea of where to find the office. The moment I stepped foot onto the campus, I felt the flood gates to my 'horror memories' beginning to crumble. This campus didn't look anything like mine, but the ideas were still the same. As I walked through it, I still recognized the cliques and was able to point out just who the bullies and the outcasts were. _

_I hadn't realized that my eyes were watering until I felt something wet hit my cheek. Quickly wiping the tears from my eyes, I sniffed and continued in my search for the main office. I was walking by what appeared to be a music room of some sort, when my foot caught on the uneven pavement, sending me flying toward the ground. I braced myself for the impact, silently willing myself not to scream, when I pair of rigid arms stopped my fall. I gasped and looked up to see a confused looking Edward holding me. _

"_Bella?" he asked, carefully lifting me up. _

"_Um, hi," I said, still out of breath. _

"_What are you doing here?" _

"_I'm supposed to be picking you up. Your mom called me this morning and said you didn't have a ride." I sniffed a little too loudly and stepped back from him. _

"_Oh…are you alright?" he asked, seeming genuinely concerned. _

"_Yes, I'm fine," I said quickly. "I just tripped, it happens sometimes. Are you ready to go?" _

"_I'll just go grab my things in the music room…I'm sorry, I didn't know you were coming. I was expecting to walk home a little later." _

_I followed him into a nearby room, feeling jittery, and he walked over to a large piano in the corner and began gathering some papers he had laying out. They looked like sheet music to me, but I knew very little about music. We walked back to my car together and I wracked my brain for something to say. Anything to break the awkward silence. _

"_How was your day?" I asked, lamely. _

"_It was fine, I guess. Just an average day." From the corner of my eye, I saw him staring at me. "How was yours?" _

"_Oh, well, I didn't really work at all today. I spent most of it having coffee with a friend of mine. I think I might have skipped a meeting, but I don't think it was very important. My car's right here," I said, pointing at the white Sentra. I quickly walked over to the driver's side and got in without so much as looking at Edward. Something didn't feel normal. _

_Edward got in next to me and set his bag down by his feet. Just as I was backing out of the parking space, he broke the silence. _

"_Oh, I think I left my house keys in my car…" he trailed off, digging in his pockets. I glanced at him, trying not to seem alarmed. "I can try to break in, if you want." _

"_No, no, that's fine. We can just go to my house until someone can let you in." A feeling very similar to dread seeped into my core. Edward Cullen would be studying in my house, most likely sitting on my couch, and probably eating some of my food. And I had no idea why that bothered me so much. _

"_Are you sure you're alright?" Edward asked after a few minutes. I'd been making a conscious effort not to breathe too loudly or make eye contact with him. _

"_Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you keep asking?" _

"_You just seem a little more tense than usual, I guess," he said, quietly. _

"_I-I just don't like high schools; they stress me out." I was telling him the truth, at least most of it. Just the thought of high school made my skin crawl._

_I was incredibly thankful that I'd decided to clean my living room the night before when we finally made it to my house. I told Edward to make himself at home and offered him something to eat, but he claimed to not be hungry. Instead, I helped him prepare for a history test he had coming up within the next week. _

"_Who won the Civil War?" I asked, sitting next to him on the couch. _

"_The Union," he answered, immediately. We continued like that for another hour or so, with him answering the questions automatically, until he began to look bored. _

"_I think you'll be pretty prepared for this test," I finally said, giving up. He looked up at with a curious expression on his face. _

"_What do you do for a living?" he asked, setting his notes down on the coffee table. _

"_I'm a script editor," I answered, confused. I had no idea why he even cared what my job was. _

"_What kind of scripts? Where?" _

"_Uh, usually scripts for TV shows, I work at the KBW studio." _

"_I don't understand, Bella, I thought my mom said you were twenty one. Isn't that a little young to have such an important job?" he asked. I instantly searched his face for any traces of mockery. Instead, I only found pure curiosity in his startlingly green eyes. _

"_In a normal situation, I guess. But I graduated from college when I was 19, and the owner of the company is a close family friend. I just got lucky." _

"_How did you graduate when you were nineteen?" he asked, incredulous._

"_I got my GED when I was fifteen, and I enrolled in college at sixteen. I had a few extra credits that got me ahead." I'd hoped my answer was concise enough so he wouldn't ask any more questions. _

"_Wow," he said. "That's really…admirable." I eyed him carefully, knowing he was trying to be nice to me. _

"_Thanks…so…someone backed into your car?" I asked, taking the focus off of me. _

"_Is that what my mother told you?" he asked, something foreign flashing in his eyes. He had a look about him that I wasn't used to seeing. _

"_Yeah…is that not what happened?" _

"_No, that isn't what happened. I left my car parked halfway in the street and our half-blind neighbor drove into the side of it." He sounded exasperated. _

"_Why would leave your car parked there?" I found the situation to be quite comical. _

" _I was in the process of leaving when my mother stopped me. I left the keys in the car, hence the reason I don't have a key to the house. I'd just gotten into an argument with my father and I thought it would be best if I left for a bit. My mother had her own ideas, so I left the car halfway into the street to go back into the house to reason with her. And Mr. Henson chose that moment to drive to the grocery store."_

_On one hand, I wanted to laugh, but on the other, I thought about Edward arguing with his father. Something about that man seemed off. Instead, I settled for something in-between. _

"_That's…different," I said. Edward nodded in agreement and shrugged. _

"_It's nothing that can't be fixed, I just feel bad for leaving my keys. It was pretty careless of me—let's hope one of the mechanics at the shop doesn't get any bright ideas and take them." He smiled and laughed quietly, which took me by surprise. I hadn't ever heard Edward say anything remotely close to a joke before. Everything about him today seemed different._

_We talked for another hour or so until the sun started to set. Edward was almost positive his mother was back by now and I drove him home. Suddenly, it was considerably easier to be around him. I didn't feel like he was a total stranger anymore. When I pulled up to his driveway, the shiny Volvo was parked, looking brand new. _

_As I was about to say goodbye to him, I felt a warm pressure on my shoulder. Edward's hand was lightly resting there, causing my chest to tighten. _

"_Thank you, Bella," he said. "Will I be seeing you tomorrow?" _

_I cleared my throat before answering. "Yeah, same time as usual." _

_He got out of the car and walked over to the Volvo. I watched as he pulled open the driver door and dug around inside for a moment. When he reappeared, he held what appeared to be his house keys up, smiling. While I drove home, I couldn't help but feel jittery. My shoulder felt like it was on fire. And for the first time, I was actually excited to see Edward again. _

* * *

><p>Next chapter's coming out soon! Lemme know what you think! <em><br>_


	5. Chapter 5

_Edward and I easily fell into a pattern with each other. I found myself looking forward to 4:30 every day, sometimes even counting down from my lunch break. I was truly beginning to enjoy helping him, especially now because he was working on an English essay. _

_"You need to broaden your thesis statement," I tried to explain to him. _

_"But if I broaden it, then people will miss the point. Shouldn't it be more specific?" He asked, taking notes all over his paper. _

_"Well, that's what you want," I said. "If your statement is broad, then you have to ability to be more specific throughout your essay. You can prove your point without sounding repetitive. Think of it like a movie preview, you don't want to give everything away, only what's essential for people to understand what it is about." _

_"I guess that makes sense," Edward said. "I'll work on it." He shuffled his papers around a couple of times before sliding them in his binder. _

_"Are there any other things we need to work on tonight?" he asked. _

_"Not that I can think of," I said, shrugging. _

_"Good," he said. "I want to show you something, if that's okay." _

_I paused, not sure how to respond. He sensed my hesitation. _

_"Do you have other plans?" he asked. _

_"No, I don't...Edward, I thought you hated me," I said, quietly. Though I knew things had been platonic between the two of us lately, I was still bracing myself for his rotten attitude. Edward didn't say anything for a few moments. _

_"Bella, I was not very nice to you in the beginning, and I apologize for that sincerely. I was an ass. But please believe me when I tell you that I didn't mean any of it." He stood and turned and pushed his chair back toward the table. "I don't hate you at all." _

_"Oh," I said, dumbly. _

_"In fact, I enjoy your company very much. Now, would you like to come with me?" he asked. I nodded and followed him out of the room. He led us down a few doors and stopped in front of one with an oddly shaped handle._

_"This is the music room," Edward said, turning the handle and opening the door to reveal perhaps one of the most magnificent rooms I've (ever sounds nice here) seen. The walls were lined with shelves that held immense amounts of records, and in the corner stood a small table, on top of which a small record player was mounted. Large gleaming windows covered any amount of free wall space, allowing light to spill onto the wooden floor. A golden material was draped across certain sections of the room, the centerpiece of the entire room being a perfect grand piano. _

_"You can come in, you know," Edward said, breaking my reverie. I hadn't realized I was still standing in the doorway. _

_"Wow," I breathed, taking a few steps forward. "Do you play?" I asked. _

_"Since I was four," he said, placing his hand over the keys. He sat down at the bench in front of the piano and turned toward me. "Care to join me?" _

_He patted the seat next to him as I walked toward him and sat down. I was suddenly hypersensitive to how close he was to me. He placed some papers on the music stand above the keys. I tried to decipher the squiggles all over the paper, but to no avail. _

_"Would you like to hear something?" he asked. _

_"Sure," I said, focusing on breathing. He made a show of stretching and cracking his knuckles, which made me laugh nervously. _

_When he played the first note, everything around me seemed to dissolve. I became completely lost. He started softly, building up to a magnificent chorus that gave me goosebumps. Time seemed to slow, and I felt every single note that he hit pound through my chest. I'd never felt more alive in my entire life. When the music around me slowed, so did my heartrate. _

_"That was amazing, Edward," I said, truly at a loss for words. "D-did you write that?" _

_"It's a work in progress, definitely not finished, but yes, I wrote it." _

_I managed to blink twice. Then he burst into a show tune of some sort that made me laugh out loud. _

_"Don't tell me you wrote that one, too," I said, still laughing. _

_"No, I played that at a recital when I was seven," he said, flashing a crooked smile. "It's actually really easy to play, would you like to learn it?" _

_"Oh, I'm sure I'll be really bad," I said quickly. _

_"Nah, I'll show you," he said. And then, he reached down and picked up my hand, sending sparks shooting throughout the entire left side of my body. He placed my fingers on the keys and set his hand down two octaves over. "Watch what I do," he said, and began to slowly play the melody. I tried to follow along, but I hit more wrong keys than right ones. _

_"I'm terrible at this!" I cried. He stopped playing abruptly. _

_"You're right," he said, and started laughing. _

_"Well, I warned you, didn't I? And I'm an English major, I didn't do anything musical." I nudged him with my elbow and looked over at him. _

_At that moment, our eyes locked. I was completely transfixed in his gaze, and for a second, my walls came tumbling down. I could see who he really way in that split second, and somehow I knew he could see right through me. It was unsettling. I don't know how I managed to do it, but I looked away. _

_"I, uh, should go home...I have to feed my neighbors cat." That was probably the worst lie I'd told in my entire life, but it got the job done. _

_In the car on the way home, my mind was racing. I could have sworn I'd just had a moment with Edward Cullen, and I knew it was wrong. There was no way what I had felt in those few seconds had been acceptable on any level. For all intents and purposes, I was Edward's teacher. What I was feeling should have been illegal. I couldn't allow myself to feel so connected to him. _

_When I woke up the next morning, I could still feel exactly where Edward's hand had touched mine. It was like his fingerprints had been seared onto my skin. I was almost painfully confused, and nervous about what would happen the next afternoon. How was I supposed to act around him? Like I was his tutor, and nothing more. We weren't friends, but that didn't mean I couldn't be nice to him. Desepate for some advice, and lacking__any female friends, I called Emmett as soon as I got to the office the next morning. _

_"How am I supposed to be nice to tutor-boy without being his friend?" I asked, as soon as he answered. I could tell he was still sleeping, as usual. _

_"Who?" Emmett huffed into the receiver. _

_"Tutor-boy, Edward," I said, somewhat impatient. _

_"That's his name?" He yawned and I heard the sheets rustling as he moved around. _

_"Yes, that's his name. What am I supposed to do, Em? He actually seems to be making progress." _

_"Um, I would just be nice to him. Being nice to someone doesn't make them you're best friend, Bells." _

_"Well, you were nice to me, and now you're my best friend," I argued. _

_"Yeah, but that's completely different. You were my half-bald little dorm mate, how could I not end up being your friend?" I thought back to the first time Emmett and I'd met and shuddered. His general bulk and booming voice frightened me. _

_"I was not half-bald, and we weren't dorm mates. My room was across from yours." _

_"Same difference, you practically lived in my room anyway." I couldn't really argue with that. I spent most of my time in college camped out on Emmett's couch, either reading or watching movies. At first, he would carry me back to my room__(,)__and make a pathetic attempt at tucking me in. Then he discovered that I could cook, and kept me around for breakfast. Things worked out quite nicely for the both of us, he had a live-in chef and I had someone to protect me. Like the big brother I'd always needed. I listened to Emmett's advice, but still had difficulty focusing at work. _

_For the next few weeks, I never stayed over any longer than necessary. I was almost boring to be around, and I pretended to be only interested in his school performance, which seemed to plateau. I did my best to keep things cordial between us. Until Thanksgiving. It had become a tradition for Harry and I to drive down to Forks to spend the holiday with Charlie. We had always been a makeshift family, but when I moved to Seattle, it became a little difficult to maneuver around holidays. Most times, Harry would bring his long-term girlfriend, Sue, along as well. This year, however, things didn't go as planned. _

_About a week before I was scheduled to make the drive, I got a call from Charlie. _

_"I'm sorry, Bella, but I'm stuck working in Port Angeles for the holiday. There's been a few incidents out there lately, and the department is short-staffed," he explained. I immediately felt the pang of disappointment in my stomach._

_"Are you sure you dont want us to come out there anyway? We could all get a hotel room close to the station," I tried to compromise. _

_"No, that's alright, Bells. I'll be swamped, and most likely a grouch because I won't be able to spend the time with you. I'd rather you stayed home and enjoyed your holiday there with Harry." _

_"Well, alright," I sighed into the phone. "If anything changes, please let me know. I love you, Dad." _

_"Love you, too," he replied, gruffly. And just like that, the one holiday I'd looked forward to every year was ruined. I didn't necessarily enjoy living away from Charlie - I constantly worried about his health. He was getting too old for his job. In my opinion, he needed to stay on desk duty, but I knew that made him miserable. _

_Because Edward was on a school break, I didn't come over to work on his school assignments for the rest of the week. I'd assumed he had family plans, anyway, and Elizabeth was fine with us taking a break. The morning of Thanksgiving, I woke up early and continued to work on my scripts. I figured it was a good way to keep from falling behind. I'd already planned on being at Harry's house sometime in the early afternoon, but by 10:00 that morning, I'd already skimmed through several projects, attacking them with red ink. _

_I was going stir crazy. For the last couple of months, I'd constantly been busy. Now, with nothing hovering over me, I didn't know what to do with myself. After I'd cleaned my apartment until it was spotless, I decided it might be best to just leave for a bit. I settled on going for a walk to a local park. The few times I'd been there, it was essentially empty. I grabbed my coat and a scarf and walked outside. It had snowed heavily a few days before, and the ground was almost frozen. I shoved my hands deep inside my pockets and walked, letting my mind clear itself. _

_The park was only about a mile away, and when I got there, it was empty. At least, that's how it appeared. I walked along the concrete and laughed to myself about the snow covered sand. I followed the pathway, not really paying attention, until I heard an extremely familiar voice. _

_"Bella?" _

_My head snapped up, searching for the voice. Searching for him. I knew exactly who it belonged to. Over to my far right, I recognized Edward sitting on a bench, his snow white hands resting in his lap. _

_"Edward, hi," I said, surprised. I didn't know what to say for a moment. "What are you doing here?" I stood an awkward fifteen feet away from him, with my hands shoved in my pockets and my breath coming out in puffs. _

_"I should ask you the same thing," he replied. _

_"Well, it's Thanksgiving...shouldn't you be with your family?" _

_"Would you like to sit?" Edward asked. He was wearing a simple jacket and jeans. He should have been freezing. I walked over to him, my feet crunching on the snow, and sat down on the bench. _

_"So, why are you here?" I asked. _

_"Just wanted to think, I guess," he shrugged. "Seemed like a nice place." _

_"Think about what?" I asked, surprised by my boldness. Something about seeing Edward that day, looking as vulnerable as he did, made me feel as though I could let my guard down. _

_Edward eyed me carefully and sighed. "I got into an argument with my father again. I figured it might be best if I cooled off before I spent the day around my family, for my mother's sake. It wears her down when my father and I don't see eye-to-eye, which is always the case lately." _

_"Oh..." I said. "I'm sorry to hear that." _

_"It is what it is," he said, shrugging. "You know, I've been trying to figure a few things out lately." _

_I looked over at him, open for questions. _

_"Why did you graduate high school so early? What happened to you?" _

_I froze, my breath coming out in shorter puffs. _

_"I-uh-guess I just didn't fit in very well," I stuttered. "I didn't have a very good experience. At all. Let's just leave it at that." _

_"I shouldn't have asked," Edward stated. He placed his hand on my shoulder, gently. "I'm sorry." _

_"No, it's alright," I said, quickly. My chest was no longer constricting. Edward was silent for a few moments. _

_"Bella, this may sound strange, but would you like to be friends?" _

_"You're asking me?" I asked, surprised. _

_"I'm not sure if it's... appropriate, considering the circumstances." _

_At that moment, I knew that Edward and I were on the same page. And I didn't care about the circumstances. _

_"I'd love to be friends," I said, smiling. _

_We talked for a few more minutes, until my shivering became too loud to be ignored. _

_"Just because I'm your friend doesn't mean you don't get to ignore me when I tell you to do your homework," joked, before saying goodbye. _

_"Happy Thanksgiving," Edward said with a chuckle. And then, he surprised me yet again. Before I knew what was really happening, I was wrapped in Edward's arms. I automatically responded by winding my arms around his torso, not wanting to let go. _

_"Happy Thanksgiving, Edward." _

_Over the next few weeks, I tortured myself over trying to decide what to get Edward for Christmas. If we were friends, then it was perfectly acceptable for me to buy a gift for him. Just for good measure, I decided I would buy a gift basket for his parents as well. _

_The idea came to me one day when I was sitting in a meeting. I'd been so bored that I had taken my shoes off and resorted to doodling instead of taking notes, like I usually did. _

_As soon as I could, excused myself and bolted to my office. After opening the Internet, I googled an online music store, searching for a book of musical compositions. I was well aware that Edward was far beyond any of the music books I could buy for him, but there was a reason for my decision to buy a selection of intermediate songs. _

_In a matter of minutes, I has ordered a booklet to be shipped to my house on express and I hurried back to the meeting room. It was almost effortless working with Edward now. A few days ago, he'd brought home a progress report from school. So far, he was passing all of his classes with Cs and Bs. The results weren't as great as I'd hoped for, but they were certainly much better than they were before. _

_Edward had even called me a couple of times at work. Once he called to tell me he'd received a B+ on his English essay. Another it was to tell me he'd be home later than usual. About a week before Christmas, Edward called me in the late morning. I could tell he was still at school based off the background noise. _

_"Hey, Bella," he said, sounding cheerful. _

_"Hi, why are you calling me while you're at school? Did you get back the results from your math test?" _

_"No. We have a half-day today and I'm meeting with cousins for lunch. Would you like to join us?" he asked. _

_"Oh," I said, a little louder than I'd planned on. "I don't want to intrude on anything..." I trailed off. _

_"Bella, I called and invited you. I wouldn't have done so of I felt like you'd be intruding. I want you to come." _

_"Well, alright," I agreed, ignoring the bubble of excitement I felt growing in my chest. "When and where?" _

_"Alice said we're meeting at Aro's Bistro at 12:30. Is that okay with you?" he asked. I heard a group of girls laughing behind him. Their high trills echoed through the receiver. _

_"Of course, that's great," I said, though I had no idea where Aro's Bistro was. As soon as he hung up, I googled the location, relieved to find that it was only fifteen minutes away and in a familiar location. I had just enough time to respond to a few emails from potential clients and then I grabbed my coat and hurried to the car. _

_When I pulled into the parking lot, I realized I wasn't exactly dressed my best and hoped that my jeans and sweater would suffice for a lunch with people I'd never met before. The Bistro was more of a giant restaurant than anything else. I felt a brief moment of panic when I realized I didn't know how I was going to find Edward. Was I supposed to just walk up to their table and sit? _

_Luckily, just before I walked through the front door, someone called my name. I let out a sigh of relief and turned to find Edward waiting. _

_"The others are already inside," he said, opening the door for me. He led me toward the back of the restaurant and stopped at a table when I saw a small framed girl with spiky black hair and someone sitting next to her, who was covered by the large menu. _

_"Bella, this is my cousin, Alice," Edward said, motioning toward the girl. She smiled and waved, her eyes bright and alert. _

_"And this is Alice's brother-" he started, motioning toward the man next to her. Before he could finish his sentence, then man set his menu down and interrupted him. _

_"Bells!" Emmett shouted, startling a few people around us. _

_"Emmett?" I said, confused. "You're Edward's cousin?" _

_"You two know each other?" Edward asked, pulling out a chair for me._

_I sat down and nodded. _

_"Edward, my cousin, is tutor boy?" Emmett asked, his voice filled with amusement. _

_"You have a cousin named Edward? Why don't I know this?" _

_"Will someone please explain what's going on?" The girl, Alice, asked. Edward sat down next to me._

_"How do you know Emmett?" Edward asked, unfolding his napkin onto his lap. _

_"We went to college together," I finally said. Edward snorted and Alice started laughing. _

_"You and Emmett went to college together? Good lord, how did that one happen?" Edward joked, still chuckling. _

_"You know, Eddie, I've been meaning to kick your ass for a very long time now. I wish I'd known who you were sooner." Emmett cracked his knuckles, suggestively. The two of them began to bicker, so I changed my focus toward Alice, who was watching the two of them, animatedly. _

_"So...do you live around here?" I asked. Her head snapped toward me, and she flashed a brilliant smile. _

_"Yeah, I moved here a few weeks ago. My parents lived in London, but they made plans to move back here when Emmett did. I started going to Edward's school about a week and a half ago." _

_"Oh. That must have been difficult for you," I said, sympathetically. _

_"Not really, I was homeschooled there. It's only hard not having my Aunt and Uncle around. Carlisle and Esme were a pretty huge staple in our family, but they stayed behind." _

_"Carlisle and Esme?" I said. "l knew them. At least, my dad is friends with them." _

_"Really?" she asked, leaning towards me across the table. _

_"Small world," Edward commented. I hadn't realized the bickering stopped. A tall waitress was standing nearby, apparently waiting to take our orders. _

_While Emmett ordered, Edward nudged me in the ribs. _

_"Tutor boy?" he whispered. I blushed furiously and instictively grabbed the back of my neck. _

_"Well, you weren't very nice. And Emmett is my best friend." That was the only lame excuse I had to offer._

_"Hmm," he replied, curtly. He looked up gave his order to the waitress. After a second, she looked over at me, but I'd wasted the few seconds I could have been examining the menu staring at Edward instead. _

_"Miss?" the lady asked. _

_"Uh...I'll have..." I stalled, and glanced down at the open menu. "Chicken Marsala." _

_"And what would you like to drink?" she asked, scribbling on her pad of paper. _

_"Coke," I said, automatically. I felt like an idiot. Who eats Chicken Marsala for lunch? I didn't really even enjoy eating it for dinner. _

_"How did you know Carlisle and Esme?" Edward asked. _

_"Yeah, why am I just finding out about this?" Emmett said, mocking me. _

_"I think Carlisle used to work around Forks somewhere. My dad used to take me to him when I was little for regular checkups and stuff. I think they went fishing together once or twice. Charlie said Esme babysat me a couple of times." _

_"Oh, that's interesting!" Alice said, while toying with her fork. "Our mom, Lucy," she said, gesturing to Emmett, "is Esme's sister. We all lived in London together for a several years, but now we're gradually moving back. I doubt Carlisle's going to want to move back here, though." _

_"You lived there too, right?" I asked Edward. He nodded. _

_"Yeah, my dad and Carlisle both moved there after my grandfather died. My father, being a lawyer, worked to settle the property and tax issues while we were there, Carlisle took over my grandfather's practice as a doctor and moved my grandmother in with them to live." _

_"Wow," I said. "Sounds like you have a well connected family." _

_"For the most part," Edward said with a shrug. Our waitress had arrived with our meals, and I let everyone else do the talking while I choked down my food. I could see it was snowing outside, as we were sitting in front of a large window. _

_I argued with Emmett over who would pay the bill. I'd always known he came from money, but I still refused to let him pay for most things. Before we could settle on the matter, Edward had already slipped the waitress his card. _

_"Thank God," Alice sighed. "That was getting nowhere." She excused herself to the restroom and I followed, suddenly having to pee because of how quickly I gulped my drink. _

_"We should exchange numbers," Alice said, as we were washing our hands. "I know we've just met, but I think you and I could end up being good friends." _

_"Sure," I said, happily. Something about her made me want to smile, and I desperately needed a girl to take to. Emmett was great, but there were some aspects of my life that I couldn't exactly share with him. _

_When we finished, the boys were waiting by the door. Alice walked over to the hostess' station and grabbed a handful of mints. While she was gone, I overheard Emmett and Edward talking. _

_"Emmett, she's my tutor," Edward said. It sounded like they were arguing. _

_"Now she's your friend, too," Emmett replied. _

_"We're just friends, okay? Calm down." _

_"Yeah, whatever," Emmett spat. "Just don't hurt her."_

* * *

><p>Hi everyone! What would you order for lunch at a lunch at restaurant like this? I don't think I'd do Chicken Marsala...I'm more of the french fry type. Let me know what you thought or if you have any questions :)<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

"What a strange coincidence!" Jane nearly shouted, as soon as I took a break for water. "That must have been awful!"

"What do you mean?" I asked, between sips.

"Well, didn't Emmy embarrass you in front of him?"

I chose to ignore the 'Emmy' namecalling and thought about question.

"I find the connection to be rather interesting," Peter chimed in, popping a walnut into his mouth. Jane had been almost obsessive about providing snacks and drinks for us. Once, when the wind was blowing a little harder, she even rushed into the house for blankets.

"It was embarrassing, I guess, but he made things entertaining," I explained. "He never did anything mortifying on purpose."

"Your birthday is soon, isn't it?" Jane asked, sitting up suddenly. "You told Elizabeth it was sometime in September, didn't you?"

"It's the 13th," I said.

"This Wednesday?" Jane crowed. "We must celebrate!"

"Shh, Jane. We'll organize a small party if you'd like. Now let her continue," Peter said. I blushed and tucked myself back into m blanket.

_Two days before Christmas, I was sitting in my den with rolls of wrapping paper. I'd procrastinated on the gift wrapping this year, but I had managed to get through covering most of the presents. I just had Edward's book and a few things for Harry and Sue left. _

_I was startled by a knock at the front door, jumping in my seat a little bit. _

_"Who is it?" I asked, dumbly at the front door. _

_"It's Edward," I heard on the other end, and my stomach plummeted through the floor. _

_"Edward?" I asked in disbelief. _

_"Yeah...Edward Cullen..." he said. I quickly unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open. _

_"Come in, it must be freezing," I said, stepping out of the doorway. I looked down for a moment and realized I was wearing possibly the worst outfit I could have ever worn in front of him. Faded sweats and a t-shirt, my hair thrown into a messy ponytail. _

_"Is everything okay?" I asked, worried. _

_"Yes, everything is great. I tried calling, but you didn't pick up," he said. I'd left my phone in my purse. _

_"Oh...I didn't hear it ring." _

_"Right, well, I wanted to bring you your gift tonight. I'm catching a red eye to London tonight, so I won't be able give it to you on Christmas," he explained. "I was hoping you'd be home." _

_"Have a seat, make yourself comfortable," I said, smiling. In my mind, I thought if I smiled extremely hard, he wouldn't notice what I was wearing._

_"Are you sure? Are you busy?" he asked. _

_"No, no, I'm not busy at all," I said. "I have your gift, too, so I'll just go get it now." _

_I hurried out of the room, panicking because I didn't have Edward's gift wrapped. The music book was sitting on top of the desk. I threw open one of my drawers, searching for a bow of some sort. I found a sparkly blue one and slapped it on the top corner. _

_Edward was sitting on the edge of my couch, looking slightly uncomfortable. _

_"Found it," I breathed, sitting next to him. "I guess I should go first, since I already have mine out, huh?" _

_"That's fine," he said, flashing that crooked smile. I noted the cream colored sweater he was wearing, matched with the perfectly fitted darkwash jeans. I blinked quickly and looked down. _

_"Uh, okay, so here," I said, holding it out to him, like an idiot. He stared at the book, his face unreadable. I suddenly began spewing out an explanation for the mediocrity of my present to him. _

_"You play beautifully, and I know you're way beyond anything an instruction book like this could offer you, but I remembered that you wanted to teach me to play something, and I was horrible. So I thought maybe you'd be able to teach me something out of a book like this. But if you don't like it, I completely understand, and I really hope you aren't insulted by it-" _

_"Bella, it's perfect," Edward said, setting the book down in his lap. "Really, I couldn't have asked for anything better." He flashed a smile again and laughed softly. _

_"I guess it's my turn now, isn't it?" he asked. _

_"You didn't have to get me anything, Edward," I said. He rolled his eyes and handed me a card that I hadn't noticed was sitting next to him. _

_"You didn't have to get me anything, either," he said, with a look of finality. My name was written across the front of it in an elegant script. Carefully, I unstuck the flap and reached inside the envelope. I pulled out two tickets. _

_Before I made any exclamations of surprise or excitement, I looked at the tickets and tried to read what they said. _

_"They're concert tickets," Edward said. "Emmett told me you've never been to a concert before, and I thought maybe you'd like to go." _

_"Oh wow...you got concert tickets?" I breathed. _

_"This record company hosts a benefit concert at the beginning of every new year. This year, they got some major artists to sign up for it. All the proceeds go to Uganda," he explained. _

_"I'd love to go, really. The other ticket's for you, right?" I asked. _

_"If you'd like. You can bring whoever you want," he said. _

_"Well then I want you to go," I said, smiling again. "When is it?" _

_"January fourth," he said. "It's in Portland, though. It'll be a bit of a drive." _

_"Road trip," I said bluntly. "I don't mind." _

_Edward laughed and then held up the music book. "So which one of these am I teaching you?" _

_"Whichever one you want," I said. "You're the teacher, you get to choose." I silently prayed he wouldn't pick one from the difficult section. _

_He thumbed through the book a few times, stopping occasionally to examine a piece. "How's this one?" _

_I looked over his shoulder. Claire De Lune by Debussey. Looking at the page, I felt extemely nostalgic. It was odd how I hadn't noticed that song was in the book. Then again, I hadn't really looked through it, anyway. _

_"That's great," I said, almost quietly. "My mom used to play that all the time." The words stung my mouth before I'd even realized I'd said them. _

_"Does she play?" Edward asked, interested. _

_"Oh, I don't know if she does anymore. She did when I was little, though." _

_"You don't know?" he asked, maneuvering to face me on the couch. His knee bumped against mine. _

_"She, um, left when I was eight. I haven't seen or heard from her since." I had been over the abandonment issues for years. Renée rarely ever crossed my mind. _

_"Bella..." Edward said, eyeing me fully. "I'm...sorry...I had no idea." _

_"Oh, that's alright. It was a long time ago; I really don't even care anymore. It's her loss." I sighed and straightened my shoulders. "Charlie and I were fine without her around, and it just made things easier in the long run." Now I was lying, something I was terrible at. It wasn't exactly easy growing up without her-puberty was a nightmare. _

_He placed his hand on my knee. The warm pressure was a welcome distraction. "Do you like John Mayer?" Edward asked, suddenly. _

_"Yeah, he's great. Why?" I asked, thankful that he'd changed the subject. _

_"He'll be playing at the concert," he said, his hand still on my knee. _

_"Awesome!" I said, feeling like I was a teenager again. "Who else?" _

_"You'll just have to wait and see," he teased. I narrowed my eyes at him. _

_"How long will you be in London for?" I asked. _

_"We'll be coming back on New Year's Day, well, it'll be the day after in London because of the time difference," he said. "It should be fun trying to get through the airport." _

_"Oh, I'm sure it will be," I joked. An uncomfortable silence followed. I didn't exactly know why the tension in the air was so tangible, but it frightened me. _

_"I should probably get home and try to sleep for a couple of hours," he said, standing up. _

_"Right, you need sleep," I agreed, walking over to the door. I fumbled with the deadbolt and looked over my shoulder at Edward. _

_"Bella, I hope you have a really great holiday," he said, incredibly close behind me. _

_I turned around, almost bumping into him. My heart rate doubled. _

_"You too, um, Edward... Tell Carlisle and Esme I said hi." I reached up to give him a hug, just like I normally would have, and prayed he wouldn't be able to feel the pounding in my chest._

_I was completely caught off guard when I felt an electric current pulsing through my forehead. It took a second, but I realized that the electrical current was coming from Edward's lips, and that he was kissing me. My breath caught in my throat and I thought I might have blacked out for a split second. _

_"Good night, Bella," he murmured. The electricity shut off. _

_"Good night," I squeaked. And then he left. For the next hour, I tried desperately to think straight. All Edward did was kiss my forehead. It didn't mean anything other than he thinks I'm a great friend._

_I thought I had convinced myself that it meant nothing by the time I went to bed. But I was wrong, because that was the first night that I dreamt of Edward Cullen. _

_I woke up terrified, but at the same time, clinging to the little bit of the dream I remembered. In the dream, I was trapped in a labyrinth, pushing myself past walls covered with gnarled vines. It was dark, but I could vaguely make out a light far off in the distance. Naturally, I moved toward it, nearly tripping several times, and narrowly avoiding many objects in my path. By the time I reached the light, I realized it was more of a bright halo, and within it was my mother, sitting in the rocking chair she'd used to lull me to sleep as a baby. She looked up, her face dark and expressionless, and she mouthed my name. Instead of words coming out, a trail of black, ominous smoke began to pour out of her mouth, and I felt a scream building in my throat. _

_I let out a loud, strangled cry, and in seconds, a pair of strong, white arms pulled me out of the halo. A hand covered my mouth, cutting off all sound, and I looked up to see Edward. He was cradling me, but his arms also formed a barrier, keeping me from moving forward. _

_I couldn't sleep for hours after I woke up. It was strange how even though I hadn't seen a picture of Renée in years, I remembered her face in perfect detail. I even remembered the small freckle she had on her temple. For a moment or two, I thought about calling Charlie, but the thought was gone in seconds. _

_I spent Christmas Eve working. Charlie was supposed to drive up this year for Christmas, and thankfully, he didn't have to work for this holiday. He'd planned on staying at Harry's house, which I felt more comfortable with, anyway. There wasn't enough room in my apartment—one of us would have ended up sleeping on the couch. _

_On Christmas morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn and drove over to Harry's house before the sun was even up. I knew Charlie was already well on his way, and I wasn't about to let Sue cook our family meal alone. Harry was still in his pajamas when he answered the door. He grunted at me and I barreled through the doorway, my arms full of gifts and food items. _

_Charlie arrived soon after, looking tired from the drive, but happy, nonetheless. He hovered around the kitchen while Sue and I cooked, occasionally sneaking food when he thought no one was watching. For the first time in almost a year, I felt truly at home. _

_We ate dinner and opened gifts together, and not long after, Charlie passed out on the couch. When he was snoring lightly, Harry entered the room quietly and sat down next to me. _

"_Bella, I need to talk to you about something," he said. I looked over at him, not sure if I should look at this as a conversation with my boss, or as a conversation with my God Father. _

"_What is it?" I asked, on guard. _

"_Well," he began, his shoulders relaxing. "In case you couldn't tell, I'm getting older. In fact, I'm getting too old to be working at the studio." _

"_Harry, you aren't too old," I started, fully prepared to argue with him. _

"_Yes I am, Bella. I was pushing it five years ago, and now I've just about burnt out. I'm retiring at the end of this year." _

"_What?" I said, a little too loudly. Charlie grunted on the couch. "You can't leave at the end of this year, Harry, you have to give the studio a little more notice than that, don't you?" _

"_I would only need to give them notice if we had to go searching for new staff members," he said, giving me a serious look. _

"_I don't understand what you're saying," I said, copping an attitude on purpose. Harry had practically built the company, he wasn't allowed to just leave. _

"_When I leave, I'm going to need someone to step into my shoes and keep the studio up and running. I'm asking you to become the executive producer." _

_My jaw dropped and it took me a second to answer him. _

"_Harry, I'm a script editor," I objected. "I can't just run the entire studio now, that's insane!" _

"_You are the script _supervisor_, not editor, and you manage enough of the company as it is. How many meetings have you attended in my place? How many times have you taken care of things while I've been away? Bella, you practically already have the job, you just don't have the title for it yet." He paused and cleared his throat. "Just because you're young doesn't mean you can't work in an executive position." _

"_I'm twenty one, Harry. People aren't going to listen to a thing I say." _

"_Now don't start with that," he chastised. "You haven't been proud of your position in the studio since you started working there. We've talked about this before—you have probably worked harder to get that job than anyone else in the business has. Your connection to me has nothing to do with it." _

_I swallowed hard, knowing I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. _

"_Okay, I'll do it," I said, through almost-gritted teeth. _

"_Now, I'll still be around every now and then, I've still got corporate issues to take care of, so you won't be totally alone." _

_I breathed a sigh of relief and ran my fingers through my hair. Some holiday. _

"_There's more that I need to talk to you about," he said. My stomach clenched again, and I braced myself. Knowing Harry, now would be the time that he'd tell me he was some incurable disease. _

"_Alright, do I need to brace myself?" I asked, half-joking. _

"_Well, you might need to, it depends on how you take my news." He paused for a moment, and when I didn't say anything, he went on. "Sue and I are moving to Hawaii."_

"_Excuse me?" I spluttered. "I thought you just said you'd stick around!" Charlie stirred on the sofa. _

"_I will be available to you and anyone else through the telephone and through Skype," he said, crossing his arms. It took me a moment to realize that he was talking about having webchats and conference calls. _

"_You're unbelievable, Harry," I sighed. "So you really are just leaving the studio to me?" _

"_I'm still going to be dealing with corporate, so quit yelling at me," he said, his voice gruff. "We're moving in three weeks." _

"_That soon?" I asked, feeling a lump in my throat. He nodded. _

"_Yes, Bells. I know it's all soon, but I know you, and if I gave you more notice, you'd just find a way to convince me to stay. I can't do that, honey, I'm too old." _

"_You're right," I said, suddenly wishing that Charlie would get the same idea through his head. Even though Harry was almost ten years older than him, Charlie should have been getting ready to retire. _

"_I'm leaving the house to you," he said. I turned my head and looked at him slowly. _

"_How much more are you planning on throwing at me today?" I asked, feeling exhausted. _

"_You don't have to move in, though I don't see why you wouldn't. You don't have to do anything to it, or you can move in and completely remodel it. The house is yours." _

"_Why?" I asked, my voice trembling. _

"_Because I don't have anyone else to leave it to. You're the daughter I'd always asked for, and I'm giving you everything I have." He looked at me, his hazel eyes shining. I leaned over and rested my head on his shoulder. In a matter of moments, Harry had left me his company and his home. This felt more like he was dying instead of moving away. _

"_Are you sure you're just moving?" I asked, dreading his response. He laughed, shaking the side of the couch we were on. _

"_Yes, I'm only moving. I was fit as a fiddle at my last check-up, so you have nothing to worry about." _

_The rest of the holiday went smoothly, and I didn't have any more ambushes from Harry. That night, after I'd gone home, I couldn't help but think about Edward. I wondered what he was doing, if he was happy, I even tried to imagine what he got from his family for Christmas. Thinking about him was almost like a disease for the next few days. I couldn't stop. _

_On New Year's Eve, I was sitting at work, trying to reorganize Harry's desk. His office was considerably larger than my old one, and nothing in it was set up the way I liked it. I had just started to go through the files when my cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I didn't recognize the number, but I answered anyway. _

"_Hello?" _

"_Bella!" Emmett cried. "Happy New Year!" _

"_Thanks, Em, but your off by….several hours," I laughed. _

"_Damn it," he cursed. "Well, at least I tried." In all the years I'd known Emmett, he'd never gone to London. I wondered why he'd never mentioned it. _

"_Yeah, it's the thought that counts. How was your Christmas?" _

"_It was very merry, thank you. How was yours?" I could hear people talking in the background. Sadly, I strained to hear if any of them sounded like Edward. _

"_Oh, it was great," I said. Then I told him about Harry's news. _

"_Hell, that's amazing!" he said. "Are you going to move into your new house?" _

"_I think so, but I'm not sure yet. I'm still getting used to the idea of it. It's a big house for just me to live in." _

"_You could throw some awesome parties," he said, suggestively. _

"_Right…so, how are Alice and Edward doing?" I asked, really only wanting to hear about Edward. Alice and I had gotten closer over the last few weeks, but I had her cell phone number and could call or text her whenever I wanted without it seeming conspicuous. I didn't want Edward to know I missed him…or thought about him all the time. _

"_Oh they're great. Ed's been sulking in his room for some reason. I think it's because the piano's out of tune and Carlisle keeps forgetting to call the repairman. Alice is…Alice," he said. "She bought us all matching sweaters to wear for a nice family photo. Thankfully, we're flying out of here soon." _

_I laughed, but my mind was stuck on Edward, as usual. _

"_Hey, you told Edward I'd never been to a concert before," I said, suddenly remembering that I wanted to yell at him about it. _

"_Yeah, so what?" he asked. _

"_What else have you told him about me?" I demanded. "You aren't supposed to gossip about me, Emmett. In fact, you aren't allowed to talk about me at all, got it?" I snapped, pretending to be mad. _

"_Oh hush," he said, calling my bluff. "Edward asked what kind of music you liked. I'm not dishing out your deep dark secrets, so you can get off your soap box now." _

_After talking with Emmett, I struggled through Harry's filing cabinets for the rest of the night. I didn't even notice when midnight came and went, and felt like a complete loser when I realized I had spent the huge event alone. I contemplated sleeping on the couch in my new office, but decided to drive home instead. _

_I crawled into bed and hoped that I would dream about him again, but that night I didn't remember anything. I was startled awake that morning by my phone buzzing on my nightstand. I grabbed it and saw that I had a text message from Edward. My heart thudded unevenly as I opened it. _

_Would you like to meet for coffee?_

_I couldn't make my fingers type my response fast enough, but I managed to type 'I'd love to' and then jump out of bed to get ready, feeling my excitement grow by the second. I ripped a brush through my hair and struggled with it, eventually giving up and throwing it in a ponytail. I pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, then shoving my feet into a pair of rarely-worn Ugg boots. I was brushing my teeth while I read the text message from him asking where a good place to meet would be. _

_I had to remind myself not to drive over the speed limit on the way to the coffee shop we'd settled on. I spotted his Volvo right away and pulled up across the street from it. I didn't want to come across as overly-excited…even if I was. Inside the shop, I locked eyes with Edward, who was sitting at a table next to the fireplace. _

_I waved and walked over, the smile on my face growing. _

"_Welcome home," I said, sitting across from him. _

"_Thank you," he said. "What would you like to drink?"_

_I slid a five dollar bill across the table and told him I'd like a caramel macchiato. I stared as he walked over to the register, almost feeling ashamed to be gawking at a boy who was younger than I was. He was wearing a dark sweater that contrasted fantastically with his pale skin. It even made his hair seem brighter than it was before. Or maybe I'd just never really paid attention to the actual color of it. Everything about Edward seemed so much more vivid now. _

_He came back a couple of minutes later holding two hot drinks. He handed me mine and took a sip of his. I could feel the smile still on my face. Before I could ask him how his trip went, he slid a piece of paper across the table at me. _

"_What's this?" I asked, picking it up. _

"_The concert's in three days," he said. "There's the set-list." _


	7. Chapter 7

"_I can't believe you get to go see Arcade Fire," Alice complained while we waited for Edward to come pick me up. She'd taken to showing up at my apartment randomly, which I didn't mind. Alice and I were getting much closer, and I considered her a good friend. _

"_Huh?" I asked, pretending like I hadn't been staring out the window, waiting for the second I'd see his shiny car. _

"_Um…Edward is taking you to the modern day Woodstock in a few hours…remember your awesome Christmas present?" she asked, placing her hand on her hip. _

"_Oh, right," I said. "Yeah, I'm excited." In truth, I was very excited, but at the moment, my nerves were on fire. The drive to the concert would take almost four hours, and during that time, I had no idea what would happen. _

"_We're going to start packing you__(r)__ stuff when you get back, right?" she asked. I'd decided to move into Harry's house. My lease on the apartment was good for another two months, but Harry was moving in two weeks. When I told Alice about it, she jumped at the opportunity to decorate my new home. Since then, she'd been running decorative ideas past me non-stop. _

"_Yeah, I guess," I said, idly imagining what she could do to my new home. _

"_I can't wait to see what it looks like," she said, clapping her hands happily. Her moment of excitement was interrupted by a short knock at the door. I stood up and clutched my bag at my side. _

"_Ugh, I guess you'll be leaving now," Alice said, sulking. "You know, he's always given the best Christmas presents." _

_I opened the door and my heart stuttered a little in my chest. Edward looked flawless, as usual, even if he was only wearing jeans and a t-shirt._

"_You ready to go?" he asked, flashing a crooked grin. Alice huffed in the background._

"_Hi, Edward," she said, making her presence known. _

"_Oh…hi, Alice," he said, somewhat cautiously. _

"_Don't worry, I'm not crashing your concert, I was just talking with Bella." She turned to grab her coat and keys. "I'll see you guys when you get back," she said, moving past him in the doorway. _

_ "Bye," I called after her, grabbing my coat as well. "Do you need anything before we leave?" I asked, not wanting to be rude. _

_ "Oh, no," Edward said. "I packed food and a few other things in the car, so we should be good to go." _

_ I locked the door and followed him to his car, which he'd parked along the curb. I noticed a few bags in the backseat, as well as some blankets. _

_ "The concert starts at seven, so we should be there in plenty of time to find our seats and get settled," he reminded me. It was a little bit past one when we left, and the further we got away from Seattle, the more relaxed I became. After about an hour in the car, I was beginning to feel ridiculous for being nervous initially—spending time with Edward felt natural. As long as I didn't look at him in his eyes, the butterflies wouldn't start again._

_ "Let's play a game," I said, turning down the music. _

_ "What kind of game?" he asked, sounding amused. "You don't mean one of those games where you punch me every time you see a type of car, do you?" _

_ I laughed and shook my head. "No, I'm terrible at that one. How about twenty questions?" I immediately thought of a celebrity in my head, positive that he would never guess who I was thinking of. _

_ "Okay," he agreed, raising his eyebrows. _

_ "It's a person." I said, eyeing him coyly. _

_ "Is it a man?" _

_ "Yes," I said, ticking off the questions he had left in my head. He was quiet for a moment, thinking. _

_ "Leonardo DiCaprio." _

_ "What!" I shrieked. "How did you guess? That's not even fair." I glared at him, demanding an explanation. _

_ "I read minds," he said, sarcastically. I continued to glare until he laughed. "I saw you staring at a movie billboard with his face on it. Honestly, it was a lucky guess." _

_ "Fine," I huffed. "You go." _

_ "Okay," he said, shrugging. "Ask away, it's a person as well." _

_ "Is it a woman?" I asked, trying to remain diplomatic. He shook his head. _

_ "Nope."_

_ "Is he a musician?" _

_ "No, he's not a musician," Edward said, keeping his eyes on the road. I looked at him and saw the corner of his mouth twitch slightly. _

_ "Johnny Depp," I said, determined to win in the same fashion that he had. Instead, Edward burst out laughing. I was, as always, caught off guard by the sheer musicality of it, of how his voice was just like velvet. _

_ "No, Bella. I was thinking of Robert De Niro," he said, still laughing. "But he's a good Pirate." _

_ "De Niro?" I said, appalled. "Name the last movie he was in. He's not on any of the billboards." _

_ "He's a good actor," Edward said, "I don't need a billboard to remind me of that." _

_ "Oh, I get it…you just think about him all the time?" I teased. Edward looked at me quickly, his eyes wide. _

_ "I didn't mean it like that!" _

_ Now I felt victorious. I'd successfully embarrassed him. _

"_Hah," I said, reaching into one of the bags in the back seat and finding a bag of potato chips. I tore open the . After stopping for gas two hours later and more road trip games, we were in Portland. Outside, snow covered the ground, mounded into huge piles created by snow plows. It didn't look much different from Seattle, it was just as crowded and difficult to find a parking lot. Edward managed to find a decent spot that wasn't too far away from the outdoor venue. _

_ "How can they hold such a huge concert like this outside? Won't the equipment get damaged?" I asked tentatively, hoping I didn't sound dumb._

_ "Well, I'm sure it could happen, but our seats are all elevated, and the stage is pretty high up. Plus, there are heating lamps all around the perimeter. They make bald spots in the snow, and keep the area relatively warm," he explained. He'd grabbed a couple of blankets from the back seat and we walked a couple of blocks until stopping in front of a large crowd. _

_ "What's going on?" I asked, trying to see around all of the people. "Are we too early?" It was almost five o'clock—the concert didn't start for another two hours. Edward, a full head taller than me, was able to see much more than I was. _

_ "For certain people, yes, it's too early. But not for us, we have VIP tickets," he said, searching through the crowd for something. I felt my stomach drop, as I realized just how expensive these tickets had to have been. "Will you wait here for a moment?" _

_ "Sure," I said, "Give me the blankets." He handed them to me and pushed through the crowd. I chewed my lip nervously, beginning to feel a little claustrophobic. The sheer amount of people waiting was overwhelming. Five minutes later, I felt a warm hand on my wrist. I hadn't noticed Edward, who'd returned with a security guard. _

_ "He's going to escort us in," Edward explained, his eyes bright. I looked up and saw a large, bulky man sporting a black t-shirt with the word "Security" printed across it. He smiled and motioned for me to follow him. "Stay close to me," Edward said, holding onto my shoulder. It was nearly impossible to squeeze through the crowd, but once we managed to get past them, the security guard led us through a small door, which opened into a large room that was nearly empty, except for sound equipment. _

_ "Hey guys, I'm Steve," the security guard said. "It's pretty crazy out there, but you two are VIP—if you need anything just come and find me. Seating is through the green door." Then he went back through the original door. I could hear him yelling over the anxious crowd. Poor people—they had to wait and fight with each other while Edward and I got a free pass in. _

_ "You didn't tell me these tickets were VIP," I said, following behind Edward. _

_ "You didn't ask," he responded, simply. A few other people, obviously other VIP ticketholders, were already seated. Edward walked down past several rows of seats, gradually nearing the stage. He stopped two rows away from it and walked down a few seats. "We're right here," he said, looking over at me. I felt frozen, until I forced one of my legs in front of the other. _

_ "Bella?" Edward asked, looking at me carefully. _

_ "These tickets were really expensive," I said, quietly. _

_ "Not really," Edward said, simply. "You shouldn't worry about it, anyway." He sat down in his seat and reached up to grab my hand. Before I knew it had even happened, he'd pulled me down into mine and tossed a blanket on( to) my lap. I promised myself I wouldn't say anything about the cost of the tickets anymore, but I also refused to allow him to pay for anything else. _

_ "Thank you, Edward, the tickets are great." _

_ "I was hoping you'd like them," he said, smiling. "I know we're here early, but it's fun watching them set up. Plus, sometimes, if we're lucky, actual band members wander around out here because they get bored." _

_ We took to just talking for the next hour and a half, but it became increasingly difficult as more and more people began to fill in the arena. Before I knew it, the entire place was set up, all of the speakers and amps on the stage were in place, and unfamiliar band members were getting ready to perform. The concert started. _

"You can't stop there!" Jane cried.

"Jane, it's getting late," Peter said, slowly getting up from his chair. It had gotten dark almost an hour ago, and we hadn't eaten.

"Oh, alright," she huffed. "I'll go pull the pie out of the oven, then." Jane had been intermittently preparing dinner all day.

"You'll love her Shepherd's pie," Peter said, waiting for me to follow him into the house. "I hope you like your room."

"My room?" I asked, keeping pace with him as we walked.

"Yes, the room you've been sleeping in…I'd like for you to consider it yours for the time being." He peered at me with an odd expression on his face. I couldn't put my finger on it, but he seemed to be in deep thought.

"Oh, I like it very much," I said, smiling a little too widely. It was getting easier to feel comfortable here, even if I thought my room was much too large. I felt like I should at least be paying rent to be living here.

"I'm glad," Peter said, opening the door for us. In the kitchen, Jane had already set the steaming pie on the countertop to cool.

"The rolls will be ready in five minutes," she said, getting plates and silverware ready. I immediately went to help her and began setting the table. "Thank you, dear." Jane patted my arm when she noticed I'd taken care of the place settings.

"It's no problem, thank you for cooking."

The food was delicious, which didn't surprise me. Jane was a fabulous cook, and I was starting to like being spoiled by her. That night, I slept dreamlessly and woke up feeling stiff and groggy. I had a feeling it was because I went to bed with such a full stomach—I hadn't eaten full meals like that consistently in almost a year.

In the same fashion as the morning before, I started the story exactly where I'd left off last night.

_Halfway through the performances, there was an intermission of sorts. I had listened and cheered, completely mesmerized, to the other performances. I jumped in excitement when John Mayer made his presence on stage. Edward whistled loudly at times, just as excited as I was. _

"_I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?" I asked, shouting over the crowd. _

"_Why don't I go get it for you?" He asked. I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. _

"_No, stay and keep our seats. I'll be right back!" I hurried past him before he could protest and pushed my way past people toward the concession stands. The air, though it was cold, made me feel refreshed. I'd been standing in line to buy a water bottle for a few minutes when I heard a group of rowdy guys behind me. When I turned around to see who they were, I realized I'd instantly made a mistake. _

_One of the guys, a bulky man with messy blonde hair, locked eyes with me. Something in his expression instantly changed and he took a step closer toward me. I turned around, pretending like I hadn't seen anything, and urged the line to move faster. Seconds later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head just slightly to look over my shoulder, trying not to look him in the eye. _

"_Hi," the man said. He stepped forward again, now standing right next to me. _

"_Hi," I said, shyly. I looked up and the line again and pretended like he didn't exist. That tactic didn't work at all. _

"_I'm Mike," he said, somehow managing to move closer to me. I moved away from him, trying to be subtle. I smiled, not offering my name in return. Maybe he'd get the hint. "Can I buy you a beer?" He winked. _

"_Oh, no, that's okay," I said, quickly. _

"_Aw, c'mon," he said, nudging me. "What's your name?" _

"_Why do you need to know? I asked, getting irritated._

"_Well, how about that beer?" He kept pushing. _

"_No, really. I don't want one," I said, a little more forcefully. It was then that I noticed his friends were much closer to me than before. I felt panic bubble up in my chest, especially when I realized that no one around me realized what was going on. _

"_It's just a drink," Mike said, his voice taking on a new edge. I felt one of the men behind me nudge my shoulder. _

"_No," I said, asserting myself. I raised my voice, trying to move away from them. The water was no longer important to me. Relief briefly coursed through my system when I recognized Steve, the security guard, not too far away from the concession stand. Just as I was about to shout out to him, blaring guitar music began to fill the stadium once more. My cry was washed away. I knew I would have to take matters into my own hands, so I shoved my way past Mike and started to walk back to my seat. _

_In seconds, he was blocking my path, glaring down at me. "What's your problem?" he demanded. "Are you scared?" _

"_Quite frankly, you're bothering me," I snapped. "Leave me alone." I went to move past him, again, but he put his hand out to stop me and shoved me back. I stumbled and looked up just in time to see Edward, and his fist flying. _

_My jaw dropped as he made contact with Mike, sending him reeling. Mike had a good fifty pounds on Edward, but Edward easily delivered a blow, not fazed by it at all. He instantly moved from Mike to check on me and lead us away from the situation. The guys behind us were hollering, and Mike was cursing on the ground. _

"_Are you alright?" Edward asked into my ear. I nodded and reached down to hold his hand. I felt a shock through my hand when his fingers wrapped around mine. I wondered if I was the only one who felt it—he didn't appear to have noticed anything. "I think we should leave." _

_I looked up at him, my eyes wide. "What? No, we don't have to leave!" I shouted above the music. _

"_Bella, you're shaking," he said, leaning closer to me. Then, I noticed that I really was shaking, obviously the result of my nerves from the previous situation. Edward pulled me past some more people and back through the door we came through. It was an immediate relief when I could actually hear myself think. _

"_Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, again, once we were on the sidewalk away from the arena. _

"_I'm fine, really. How's your hand?" I asked, picking it up to examine his knuckles. They were swelling. _

"_My hand is fine," he said, looking me fully in the eye. _

"_Just to be safe, I think you should put it in the snow for a few minutes," I said, leading him to a large pile of snow next to the building. He allowed me to stick the top of his hand into the snow for a few seconds before he pulled it out and shook it. _

"_I'll be fine, there's no damage," he insisted. "Let's go back to the car." Panic rose in my chest when I recognized the expression on Edward's face and the tone of his voice. He was angry. I didn't say anything while we walked to the car, even though I felt horrible. I'd ruined the concert for him. I opened my door stiffly and sat quietly in the passenger seat. Edward was silent as well, glaring out the window. I finally worked up enough courage to say something to him. _

"_Edward, I'm really sorry." My voice was weak, betraying me as__always. He turned to me, his expression softening a little. _

"_Sorry? Why are you sorry?" he asked, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion. _

"_I'm sure you really wanted to see the entire concert. I ruined it for you—you can go back__if you want, I'll wait here," I said, starting to babble. _

"_Bella," he said, cutting me off. "I don't care about the concert."_

"_Then why do you look so upset?" I asked, reeling. He looked just as angry as he did when he first met me. _

"_Because of what those…animals could have done to you. Because of what that guy was so close to succeeding in doing. No one else even noticed him cornering you, Bella. Do you realize what could have happened if I didn't get there when I did?" His voice was shaking slightly and I noticed his hands were balled into fists. "Even the security guard right next to you was completely oblivious," he hissed. _

"_Oh," I said, struggling to find something else to say. Edward turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking space. _

"_We should start driving back," he murmured. "The snow is starting to pick up." _

_I looked out the window and chewed on my lip nervously, still speechless. We drove in silence for almost an hour. It was the most unbearable sixty minutes of my entire life. It was getting increasingly difficult to see outside—I wondered how Edward was even managing to drive. The windshield wipers weren't doing a very good job of keeping the windshield clean. Eventually, he exited the freeway to stop and clean it himself. When Edward stepped out of the car, a huge gust of wind slammed the door shut behind him. Seconds later, he pulled the door back open and sat down._

"_I don't think it's very safe for us to drive back," he said, still brooding. _

"_I'll get us a hotel room," I said, immediately. Edward was seventeen and not old enough to rent a room. He didn't argue, only turned the car back on and drove until we spotted a nearby hotel. I didn't care how expensive the rooms were, money wasn't an issue for me at the moment. After we'd checked in, I sent a text message to Alice explaining that we were caught in a blizzard and wouldn't be home until tomorrow. Edward didn't seem to be worried about notifying his parents about where we were._

_I gave Edward the room key while I stopped at the gift shop to buy a pair of sweats that I could sleep in. He'd insisted that he didn't need anything. My jeans were soaking wet from the small trek we'd made through the snow. There wasn't very much selection, but I found a pair with the hotel's logo on them and a matching t-shirt. I paid for them and planned to order room service as soon as we got settled for the night. In the elevator, I wondered how the sleeping arrangement would work out. The thought of what Edward wore while he was sleeping crossed my mind, causing me to blush. I shook the thought out of my mind and walked down the hall to our room. _

_Edward opened the door after I'd knocked once. I closed it behind me, trying to ignore the nervous butterflies in my stomach. _You aren't sleeping with him, just sharing a room_, I promised myself, trying to calm my nerves. It didn't really work. I set down my bag in the corner and stood in the hall, watching Edward sit on the edge of the bed. He was staring out the window, still not saying a word._

"_Are you still mad?" I finally asked him. "It honestly isn't that big of a deal. Nothing happened, and I'm fine." I took a few steps closer to him. He looked up, and I was startled by the intensity in his eyes. _

"_Bella, it _is_ a big deal. Do you have any idea of how much you mean to me?" he asked, standing up from the bed. My stomach twisted into a knot. _

"_What are you talking about?" I asked, slowly. _

"_I have to protect you. Because I don't know what I'll do with myself if something happens to you. It doesn't matter that nothing serious happened today, something almost did, and that's enough to make me realize how easy it could be to lose you." His voice was shaking again. I didn't even realize that I was walking toward him. _

"_Edward?" I asked, turning his attention back to me. He was looking out the window again. Being so close to him made my heart pound uncontrollably. "What are you saying?" _

_He looked up at me, his eyes a mixture of passion and terror. It was the first time I'd ever seen him look vulnerable like this. "I think I'm in love with you," he whispered. _

_My breath caught in my throat, and in the next three seconds I was completely unaware of my actions. I had no idea if__he kissed me, or if I kissed him, but my lips were suddenly pressed against his. I'd been kissed before, but this was completely different. My entire body felt more alive than it ever had, like my veins were electrically charged. I don't know how it was possible, but I pulled away from him, my chest heaving. _

"_What just happened?" I breathed. I looked up at him, wanting nothing more than to kiss him again. _

"_I don't know," he said, his voice hoarse. "I'm—" he started to say, but I cut him off by kissing him again. Or at least trying to. The moment my lips came into contact with his again, it was like the electricity started to flow through my veins once more. I stretched onto the tips of my toes and wound my arms around Edward's neck. He surprised me by wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer to him, my body now almost flush against his. Edward tasted warm, like cinnamon, and his lips seared my skin wherever they came into contact with it. _

_I desperately tried to pull myself closer to him, but his arms, much stronger than mine, kept me at the distance I was at. He pulled away this time, leaving me breathless. _

"_We should stop," he said, just as out of breath as I was. _

"_You're right," I said, swallowing hard. I was smart enough to know just how fast that could have turned into something more than the kissing we were doing. The bed was only a few feet away. I bit down on my lip and forced myself to meet Edward's gaze. "Should we not have done that?" I asked, terrified that he was going to say yes. _

"_We probably shouldn't have," he said, sitting down on the bed. "But I really don't care. I don't think you know how long I've wanted that to happen." He looked up at me, the terror dissolved from his now. Now they were just burning emerald pools that made my knees go weak. _

"_I think I do," I said, quietly. I think I may have even wanted that to happen for longer than he had. He started to say something, but I cut him off. "I'm going to take a shower." _

_I hurried into the bathroom and locked the door behind me, still breathing unevenly. Then, I realized I'd left my clothes outside. I cursed under my breath and quickly pulled open the door, grabbed my bag from the hallway. I turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat up. There was complimentary soap and shampoo on the counter, so I decided to wash my hair. It always relaxed me. _

_The water scalded my skin at first, but I quickly got used to it and began to work the shampoo into my hair. The lather didn't smell exactly the way I was used to shampoo smelling, but I was grateful for the comfort anyway. When I got out, my skin was still pink from the heat. I dried off and pulled the tags off the new clothes I'd bought. Then I furiously towel dried my hair, working all of the excess moisture out of it. I didn't have a comb with me, so I settled for throwing my tangled mass of hair into a bun. _

_Edward was sitting on the sofa in the room, watching TV. He looked up and smiled when I walked into the room. _

"_You look like a walking advertisement," he said, noting the hotel names on my clothes. I scowled and climbed onto the bed. Edward was craning his neck to look at the screen, which was placed inconveniently across the room. _

"_You can come up here, you know," I said, patting the spot next to me on the bed. We were only going to watch TV, no big deal. _

"_Are you sure you're okay with that?" he asked, eyeing me warily. _

"_I'm fine with it," I said, shyly. Edward climbed on the bed next to me and rested his back against the headrest, his legs out in front of him. My pulse quickened when his hand grazed my knee. _

"_Sorry," he mumbled. He went back to watching King of The Hill. The question I'd been chewing on suddenly burst out of my mouth. _

"_Is this going to be awkward now?" I asked, instantly clapping a hand over my mouth. He saw my reaction and chuckled. _

"_I don't know, Bella. What exactly are we doing?" he asked, his voice completely serious. I could have been a smart-alec and told him we were watching TV, but the question had a completely different implication. Could I be in a relationship with Edward? In truth, I wanted nothing more, but I couldn't admit to him just how scared I was. If things went wrong, I would lose much more than just a good friend. _

"_I don't know," I said, quietly. Instead, I rested my head on his shoulder and turned my attention back to the television. He didn't say anything either. I didn't know how much time had passed, but I suddenly jolted awake, having fallen asleep on Edward's shoulder. He was in the exact same position he'd been in, still watching TV, only a different show was on now. _

"_How long have I been asleep?" I asked, scooting up. _

"_Not too long," he said, looking over at me. It was definitely awkward. But only because I was struggling to control myself. "You should probably get some sleep." He grabbed the remote and switched off the television. He climbed off the bed and began to lay some blankets out of the couch for him to sleep on. _

"_Are you sure you're okay taking the couch?" I asked, knowing he would say he was perfectly fine with it. _

"_Yeah, it's not a problem." _

_I climbed under the covers and fussed with the pillows and tried to get comfortable. I passed in and out of sleep for the next two hours until I couldn't take it anymore. I finally gave in and allowed myself to look at Edward, who was stretched out awkwardly over the couch. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I slid out of bed and stood up next to him. _

"_Edward?" I whispered. "Are you awake?" _

_He quickly sat up and looked at me. "Yeah, I'm awake. Is everything okay?" Instead of answering, I reached out and took his hand in mine, pulling him back toward the bed. _

"_What are you doing?" he asked, putting up little protest. _

"_You can sleep in the bed with me," I said, still holding on to his hand while I climbed back into the bed. He stood next to me and rubbed the back of his neck. _

"_Are you sure?" he asked, standing in place. "I'm fine with the couch." _

"_I don't want you to have to sleep on the sofa, you don't have to." In truth, I just wanted him to be close to me. "I-I can't sleep when you're all the way over there," I said, feeling a blush creep along my cheekbones. I climbed under the covers, praying I wasn't about to do something stupid. He was still wearing his clothes from earlier today. I heard him sigh as he moved a few pillows around. _

"_I couldn't sleep, either," he admitted. I turned to face him and tried to study him in the dark. It was difficult, but I managed to make out his features. I felt an immense emotion tighten in my chest, and I knew exactly what it was. I didn't know how much time had passed, but I hadn't stopped staring at him. I could feel his warmth next to me, and I was getting lost in the rhythmic pattern of his breathing. I was sure he was asleep by now. _

"_I love you, too," I whispered, not caring if he heard me or not. It felt right to simply say it. There was no more hiding my feelings now. Everything about this situation, unorthodox as it was, was perfect. He didn't say anything, but seconds later, I felt his arms wind around my waist, pulling me closer to him, and I finally fell asleep._

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><p><strong>Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update - school's starting again, so I've had a boat load of stuff to take care of lately. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments- review! And, as always, a shout out and thanks goes to my favorite beta (:<strong>

**Oh, and I'm sure some of you are thinking, "What the heck! They're moving to fast!", or something along those lines. Just bear in mind that Bella slept with Edward in her bed at about the same point in their relationship in Twilight(the book)...so yeah. **


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